Tainted Butterfly
by Rei Usagi
Summary: Kocho Shinobu believed she had passed away but someone pulled her away from death and restored her body. When she woke up as something different, she learned that she had become a demon and now she struggles to fight both her demon nature and the demon inside her head, and her former allies. (10/21/20: I will work on the next chapter as soon as I have spare time)
1. Kochou Shinobu, Back from the Dead

**Note:** I made this because I have spare time and my friend told me how he wished "best waifu" is still...active even in just a story like this.

Personally speaking, Inosuke aka Best Boar Boi is my most favorite character, Shinobu being second.

This is my first story so I would like to hear what you guys think.

* * *

"I like you...butterfly demon slayer..."

There was once a child demon Kochou Shinobu faced. Not only the white haired demon treated the fight as a casual game, she sensed an unearthly power from her. That particular demon is skilled with the sword even if she looks like she's at Kanao's age.

"When you die...I think I'll be taking you. I've grown bored and wanted to try something extraordinary. I wonder if you could provide me with enough entertainment"

The last thing Shinobu remembered with the playful child demon is having the pain of a centipede piercing right through her heart then two her soul. She checked her chest but there was no wound.

"...?!"

The butterfly pillar awoken, her heart raced fast. Shinobu woke up finding herself lying inside an abandoned home, with centipedes all over the house. Beside her is a butterfly with its wings shredded.

"I passed on...yet I'm still here with my body intact"

She inspected her body, the same as she last remembered it. She felt greatly confused to why she managed to survive after fading into the afterlife. It can't be physically possible to how her body is back in one piece.

"Was it a demon's doing? Or was I resurrected again by someone else?"

Shinobu's body is still weak but she has enough strength to stand and walk. Her shaking body forced itself outside but standing in broad daylight for minutes caused her to feel dizzy and wobbly so she retreated to the porch. She sat down, exhausted after expanding so much energy from little movements.

"My body is still too weak to move much..."

Her first thought right now is to return to the Demon Slayer corps but she can't do that yet with her body still physically in no condition to travel down the mountains.

"...?!"

When a centipede crawled up to her hand, she immediately flailed it away, uncomfortable at the touch of an insect with a hundred legs and a stinging bite. Shinobu then begun wondering how she is alive again and why she woke up in a house crawling with centipedes.

"I just remembered...where is my sword?"

Shinobu woke up in her usual attire but her unique katana is nowhere to be found anywhere in the centipede infested house.

_There are more things you should be worried about more than your sword..._

Reflexively, Shinobu jumped back at the second she heard a child's voice. She wondered if it's a demon voice but it seemed impossible as demons are inactive during the day due to their weakness to sunlight. Without her sword, Shinobu knows she has no chance of defending herself from a demon if it is one.

_Kochou Shinobu, do you know why you're still alive and in one piece?_

"This voice...? Who are you?"

Even so, Shinobu prepared herself if she's indeed up against a demon who's voice sounded like it originated from inside her mind.

_Someone who is stuck with you..._

Shinobu's body slammed down the ground like an invisible force pinning her down. No matter how much she tries to push herself upwards, her body refused to cooperate.

_As long as you continue to exist__...so will I..._

Shinobu resisted the force pinning her down and stood on her two feet after repeated struggle.

"As long as I continue to exist?"

_That's right. The soul that I didn't let pass to the afterlife..._

A centipede had crawled to her neck without her realizing it and one painful bite from its pair of pincers rendered Shinobu paralyzed in a matter of seconds and then her consciousness fell into darkness again.

_I'll show what I mean...when night falls..._


	2. No Longer Human

After suffering the effects of the centipide's poison from it's painful bite, Shinobu wakes feeling nauseas and a terrible pain in her stomach. She has the urge to hurl but she focused on her trembling and partially paralyzed body.

"What...happened...?"

According to her last memory before she was bitten by the centipede which rendered paralyzed and unconscious, she heard a voice whispered to her. Shinobu compared how slightly similar that voice to a young demon she encountered a long time ago.

_Help...somebody...help us...!_

_No...no...please no!_

_Stay away...stay away!_

Desperate pleas and agonized cries rung in her hear while her head feels slightly dizzy. Shinobu woke up in an d abandoned house and not she found herself lying on the ground somewhere in the mountains.

"I need to return"

Her first thought as soon as she woke up is to return to her allies while it's still broad daylight. Without her weapon, she has no means to defend herself against a demon attack.

"..."

It then crossed to her mind on how the other demon slayers will react when she had died.

"How will I explain it?"

Shinobu contemplated as she walks down the mountain, hoping everyone wouldn't be too shocked to see her alive again. Kanao, Giyuu, Tanjiro and the others...she wondered how they will feel seeing her alive.

"...?!"

Just then, she felt another urge to hurl, sensing something awful in her stomach. This is the same feeling whenever someone consumes food the their stomach rejects. Her knees surrendered to the ground.

"What happened...while I was unconscious...?"

When she was rendered unconscious by the centipede bite, Shinobu has no recollection of what happened afterwards. When she came to be, she was lying somewhere in the mountains with no idea how she got there.

"That demon. What did she do to me?"

Even with her stomach still in pain, Shinobu slowly threads her path. Not only the abdominal pain hindering her movement but her body feeling weak under broad daylight.

"Ugh! It hurts everywhere..."

Her vision begins to blur and her legs is being drained of its strength. With Shinobu losing focus of her path and surroundings, she tripped and stumbled down a slope where her head had struck to a rock then her body slamming against a tree.

_How careless..._

Once again, Shinobu is knocked out unconscious but her own fault this time. Just as she surrenders to the pitch black darkness, she hears footsteps in the distance.

(Humans?)

She tried to stretch out her hand but she couldn't even lift a finger. The weakened Shinobu, frustrated at her current state, is forced back into the darkness again.

_That was careless of you..._

_Good thing you can't die..._

_...as long as I'm here..._

_Just keep on sleeping..._

_...until night falls... Shinobu_

In the midst of that darkness, she caught a glimpse of the young demon. While her form isn't fully visible, she saw a pale skinned girl with white or silver-like hair. She couldn't identify her but she saw the sinister smile in the form of a young girl.

"...?!"

Shinobu immediately opens her eyes, the first thing she saw is the ceiling then the four corners of a house surrounding her. She looked to her side where her hair that she thought was destroyed when she got mauled was folded neatly beside her. She wondered how she woke up wearing the same clothes she had before she died.

"Where...am I...?"

Her hand gently touched the forehead where someone had bandaged. Shinobu, without a second thought, stands up to analyze her surroundings but not before grabbing her haori.

"You're awake! Nii-chan, papa, the lady is awake!"

Shinobu first spots a young girl who called his brother and father with a bright smile on her face. Slightly confused, Shinobu follows the girl outside where she meets the so called brother and father.

"Miss, you shouldn't move much. You took quite a fall after all" The brother worried

"A fall?"

"Yeah. When my dad and I found you, you were unconscious down a cliff. We're both surprise you're alive"

Shinobu then remembered she stumbled and ended taking a fall when she couldn't clearly see her surroundings. Her head was struck against a rock then her body slammed against a tree where she feel unconscious shortly after.

"That's right. I remember falling down..."

"Good thing my son and I found you or you could have died from your injured or attacked by wild animals"

The father sighs in relief, thankful that he and his son found Shinobu and treated her injuries in time. Though said injuries already healed in the span of Shinobu being unconscious.

"You don't look like you live in the mountains. What were you doing deep within anyway?"

"I don't remember. I just woke up and I don't remember how I got there" Shinobu shakes her head

"Where are you from?" The young girl asked her

"I live a bit far away and I was trying to get back home"

"Night will fall soon and you don't want to be travelling at night. Monster lurk out here, young lady"

A woman, the mother of the boy and the young girl offered to let her stay till next morning due to how dangerous the night is with demons lurking everywhere.

"That's right. The night is dangerous...especially without a nichirin sword"

If she only had her uniquely designed katana, Shinobu would have little fear travelling anywhere at night as she is a demon slayer...or at least she was.

_You're going to regret that decision..._

She caught an image of the demon waving her finger with a sly smile, warning he that she made the wrong decision. Of course, Shinobu ignored that vague warning and chose to stay with the family who treated her wound.

"..."

As the sun begins to set and the sunlight that kept the demons away fades, Shinobu begins to shiver and breaks in a cold sweat. She felt a tingling sensation from head to toe and her throat itching.

_And so it begins...my feast that is..._

Inside her own mind, Shinobu felt her neck being coiled around her limbs being broken by the squeeze of an invisible force.

_Have you wondered why you can hear my voice inside your head?_

"W...what do you mean?"

_That's because...I'm inside you, Shinobu. Existing alongside you...like a permanent part of you..._

"You...!"

When the demon revealed herself to Shinobu, she recognized the parasite who had been whispering to her all this time. It was the same demon she and Kanao had defeated some time ago. On her last memory of the young demon, Shinobu poisoned her but that only weakened her so Kanao swung her blade and chopped her head off before she could crystallize her blood and use her centipedes.

"Kanao killed you. How could you be still alive?"

Not only the supposedly dead demon revealed herself to be alive but she seems to have aged a bit too.

_That's true that you killed me but since I took a liking to you...I wanted to try something different this time so I decide on going along with a stupid idea_

"...?!"

_Thanks to my parts implanted in you...I pulled you away from death...but for a price..._

"By using my body...?!" Shinobu figured it out

_Hahaha. You figured it out. You may be the weakest pillar but you sure are smart_

Shinobu felt ripping the demon with her bare hands if she wasn't restrained for mocking her physical weakness compared to other demon slayers.

_Now then, Shinobu... it's time I feast...on the unknowing humans that is..._

Before Shinobu fully loses control of her body, she dragged her feet away and fled the house as quick as possible.

"Hey-"

Concerned, the brother followed after her after she suddenly rushed outside. Shinobu didn't care where she was going as long as she's far from the village. She knows the demon will kill them if she stayed any longer.

_Fighting is no good..._

"...!"

She felt her body paralyzed, the demon seizing control over her movements and overtaking the owner of the body.

_I told you...fighting is no good..._

Shinobu begun to display demonic features such as fangs, elongated nails, and a demon's distinctive eyes.

_You consumed a lot of bad stuff I don't like..._

"...?"

_Because of that it's difficult to use you during morning..._

Shinobu's thoughts begun to spin, losing control of her own movements but she resisted the demon.

"Hey, why did you run away all of a sudden?"

The brother, one of the family member that found her unconscious, managed to catch up to her. The sight of a human, even with a small open wound, struck Shinobu's hunger.

(No...! I'm getting the urge to eat this man)

As the human walks closer, Shinobu's urge to sink her teeth into his flesh grew until...

"...!"

...she lost control over herself and assaulted the human as soon as he got close enough. For Shinobu, everything went dark for a moment. Only when she snaps back to reality she realized she had killed the human, his blood on her mouth and on her hands.

"What...have I done? What...did you make me do?!"

Furious at the demon for making her kill an innocent person, Shinobu bit her lip.

_Can you really go back now that you killed a human?_

"...?!"

_You'll kill more humans...and soon demon slayers..._

"I will never kill my own allies"

_A demon's hunger is irresistible..._

Unable to restrain her anger, Shinobu punched a nearby tree and ended up breaking it in half.

Look on the bright side. You're only a demon at night...since I'm weak to sunlight and that bad stuff in your body...

"I will make you pay for this!"

_If you can..._

The demon giggled, mocking Shinobu's vow to her, knowing any attempt would be futile.

_This is what you are now...Shinobu..._

"I'm not...a demon"

Shinobu has deep hatred for demons and to become one once night falls is one of her greatest nightmares that came true. After all, she became the very thing she swore her vengeance on. The very creature that took her parents and sister's life.

"Forgive me..."

She clenched her fists as she looked at her first victim before she is forced to flee before a human or demon slayer could find her. She doesn't want to increase her victims so the best thing to do is stay away from humans before her hunger overwhelms her.


	3. Demon in the Shadows

Tanjiro tilts his head left and right while Inosuke and Zenitsu followed his movement despite being confused. The three of them, walking towards their next mission, spent their five minutes silently and in deep thought.

"What's the next mission about again?" Zenitsu needed a reminder

"Another demon on a killing spree. For the past week, ten people have died"

Tanjiro raised his finger, narrating the report and details of their current mission.

"A small group of demon slayers reported of sighting the demon but they were all incapacitated when it attacked them"

"It didn't kill them?" Zenitsu is confused

"No. It knocked them out simultaneously in mere seconds and fled. The demon we're going to face isn't going to be an ordinary one"

"So...do we have any idea what kind of demon it is?"

"According to the demon slayers who sighted it...they said they saw a butterfly"

"Huh?! A butterfly demon?! Wahahaha!"

Inosuke suddenly bursts out in laughter, imagining a demonic butterfly...in a rather comedic way. Tanjiro and Zenitsu blankly stared and let Inosuke finish his laugh until his side hurt.

"It's not an actual butterfly, Inosuke. They said it looked like a butterfly when it jumped out of nowhere and started hitting them left and right"

Tanjiro imagined the demon slayers were deep in the forest and an unknown demon caught them by surprise and knocked them out simultaneously with little effort. Their only image before being knocked out was a butterfly fluttering under the moonlight.

"What do you think would be the demon like...Kanao?"

Tanjiro asked Kanao who is also part of the mission but she's silently distant in the back that it doesn't seem like she's part of the mission.

"Say something will you, runt!" Inosuke yelled

"Don't bother her too much, Inosuke" Zenitsu frowned

(She's still taking it hard after Shinobu-san died on their last mission together) Tanjiro also mourned like Kanao

After Shinobu died on the same mission with Kanao, the latter had been depressed after losing yet another family...unable to do anything even with her skills as a demon slayer.

"It doesn't really matter...to me..." Kanao softly answered

Kanao, right now, had little to no reason to be as energetic as the three and only cared about accomplishing the mission with them.

"R-right..." Tanjiro's lips twitched

Just before they could arrive at the town, they came across two people praying and mourning for their dead.

"Travellers?"

One of the two people, a young man noticed the small group of sword wielding youngsters.

"Oshi, what's the matter?" The older man stood up

Apparently, the young man's name is "Oshi", as the other one calls him.

"It's just these people..."

The middle aged looking man noticed all four children have katanas sheathed on the side, one is even wearing a boar mask.

"Are you young ones travellers?"

"Yes. We're currently going to that town to deal with a problem" Tanjiro enthusiastically answered

"You better go somewhere else. A monster is on the lose"

The four looked at each other, knowing instantly that the man is referring to is most likely a demon.

"It killed my other son last night when he went out to the mountains"

"...?!" Tanjiro reacted

"I was with my brother when it happened. I only escaped...when he pushed me away to a steep side"

Oshi felt crying when he wanted to tell Tanjiro and the others what happened last night.

"When I rolled and fell down...I saw what it looked like"

"What does it look like?" Tanjiro clenched his fists

"It was a beautiful young woman with a haori that made her looked like a butterfly when moving"

"...?!"

Kanao gasped silently since Oshi described Shinobu's haori.

"She was wearing clothes similar to you folks"

Oshi pointed at them, referring to their demon slayer uniforms to their shock.

"T-the demon...is wearing a demon slayer uniform?!" Zenitsu trembled

"She ate my brother but left me alone even though she's right before me"

Oshi's hands shook, remembering the night where a certain demon coldly looked down in him for a few seconds before deciding not to eat him and disappear.

"We may not look like it but killing demons is what we do best. We'll make sure to stop whoever it is" Tanjiro assured the two

"You bet! No demon has escaped my grasp before!" Inosuke boasted

After Tanjiro comforted the two people grieving for a victim of a demon attack, the three immediately head to the town and rest. Before the sun goes down, they all split up in two groups to gather information about the notorious demon and met up two hours before night falls.

"Zenitsu and Inosuke, what did you find out?" Tanjiro asked first

"The demon is targeting the town recently. It targets the town more than the mountains" Zenitsu answered

"That's what they told us too. It targets unsuspecting and lone victims in a corner and disappear in a split second"

As they discuss on their plan to deal with the demon, Tanjiro noticed Kanao being more quiet ever since they learned a thing or two to what the demon looked like.

"It's not who you think it is, Kanao. That's why you don't have to worry about seeing the demon"

Tanjiro assured her with such confidence that Kanao lessened her fear of thinking who the demon is.

"Hmph! I'll chop its head off before it can even do anything" Inosuke flexed

"Sun's about to go down. We'll have to split up in the district where it attacks the most to cover more ground"

"Tanjiro, did you get it's scent?" Zenitsu raised his hand

"It's faint but I smelled a demon there. It's all over the place"

Tanjiro nodded as the four split up in the area where the demon is said to attack the most in the town. Kanao went on her own to cover the east side when she spots a familiar figure among the people.

"Master?"

From the mere look of the haori and butterfly hair ornament, Kanao stopped when she thought she saw Shinobu walking around.

"Master!"

Kanao called out but the person she saw isn't responding. She shoved people left and right, desperately chasing after who she believed is Shinobu until dark.

"Was it just my imagination?"

For a moment, Kanao believed she really did see Shinobu when she saw her distinctive butterfly wing patterned haori and butterfly hair ornament. "Shinobu" was about to look at her when a person passing by blocked her view.

"I'm just seeing things. Master...is dead. I know it...because...it happened right before my very eyes"

Kanao tightened her grip on her nichirin sword, recalling the terrifying memory of Shinobu being slashed several times when Shinobu protected her from a powerful demon wielding a sword.

"If only I wasn't too injured. If only I followed after master..."

Kanao closed her eyes, recalling the memory where despite stabs and cuts and received, Shinobu chased after the demon. Her body was never found but there was blood everywhere where her sword was found so she was presumed dead.

"If only...I was a bit stronger. I could have prevented master's death..."

As she lamented herself for not being able to save Shinobu, she quickly raised her blade upon sensing a demon nearby. As she turned to swing her katana, she is swiftly kicked away to a corner by the demon.

"...?!"

Before she could stand up, the demon stepped on her head but no plan on crushing her skull.

"I think...I saw you before..."

Kanao struggled to break free from the demon crushing her head but the demon stabbed each of her two arms with a nichirin sword. The demon moved its foot only to stomp Kanao's head once before moving in a spot where it can't be seen.

"I remember you. You're that girl with really good eyes. If I remember...you were with the insect demon slayer..."

"Insect demon slayer? Master?!"

Shinobu is the only one Kanao knows capable of using the Insect breath as it's a breath Shinobu invented herself to compensate for her lack of swinging strength.

"You're the little brat who chopped off my head"

"If I chopped off your head...how the hell are you still alive?"

"What you chopped off...is the head of a husk I can always replace with. It used to belong to a human so I was easily defeated"

The demon laughed while Kanao bit her lip in pain as she couldn't stand up with how two katanas have been deeply stabbed in her arms. If she struggled more, she could rip off her own arm.

"To think I'd encounter Shinobu's little tsugoku here. How lucky~"

The demon walked towards Kanao again, standing right in front of her. As Kanao lifts be head to see the demon angering her, she went unconscious when it landed a powerful strike on her head.

"Don't worry, Shinobu. I didn't kill her...yet"

Before Kanao could fully see the demon, she I knocked out by Shinobu whose body is currently being used by the demon.

"Kanao!"

Inside her own mind, Shinobu struggled to regain control of herself, fearing the demon would kill Kanao using her own body.

"I'm angry right now. The little brat who almost cut off my head and your little tsugoku is open for killing"

The demon Shinobu picked up Kanao's katana and raised her hand in the air, preparing to decapitate the unconscious demon slayer, but she couldn't swing down her arm. Weight coiled around the arm, preventing to deliver a killing blow.

"Still...fighting back, huh...Shinobu"

The demon sensed Shinobu using all of strength to stop her from killing Kanao, paralyzing her arm before the act could be done.

"I won't let you hurt Kanao...with my own body!"

Shinobu pinned down the demon, starting a mental battle to who is the dominant consciousness.

"Even after you ate people because you couldn't resist it...you're still struggling"

"You made me a demon!" Shinobu gritted her teeth

"I brought your body back...and your mind. You should be thankful you're alive again"

"I'd rather be dead again than live as a disgusting demon!"

The demon only laughed at her response as if she was mocking Shinobu and vanished, letting Shinobu regain control of her body for an unknown reason.

"Kanao..."

Shinobu dropped Kanao's katana and bent on one knee to feel her like with her two fingers. Shinobu sighed in relief that Kanao isn't dead, just unconscious from the powerful blow.

"I'm sorry, Kanao. I can't let you see me like this...as a filthy demon"

Shinobu removed the two nichirin swords stabbing Kanao's arm and gently placed her on the side. She cared for Kanao and saw her as family too. That's why she can't let her tsugoku see her master alive again as a demon.

"I'll return once I can be myself again..."

She promised the unconscious Kanao as she gently touched her cheeks, relieved to see her again even if she is afraid that she might hurt Kanao the next time they see each other.

"...?!"

Hearing the voices of Zenitsu, Tanjiro, and Inosuke's wild battle cry, Shinobu is forced to retreat before she could be seen. She doesn't want to reveal that the demon they are hunting is a supposedly dead Shinobu.

"Kanao!"

Tanjiro rushed to her as soon as she saw a bleeding Kanao leaning against a wall, unconscious and wounded.

"She's fine. Her wounds aren't that serious" Tanjiro signed in relief

Tanjiro sniffed around the area, getting a strong scent of a demon around where they are right now.

"This is a strong smell. The demon was just here a while ago"

"Where is it?! I'm going to shred it's neck off"

Inosuke drew her twin serrated katanas and looked left and right, fired up to kill the demon himself.

"T-Tanjiro?!"

Tanjiro suddenly ran off when he caught a familiar scent in the air along with the scent of a demon. He ran left and right, chasing after the scent until he is caught in a corner.

"You really do have a good sense of smell. I'm a bit impressed" The demon complimented him

"...?!"

Tanjiro jumped back to a safe distance and covered his nose when he caught a whiff of poison in the air.

(Poisonous air? Is this the demon's blood demon art?)

"You jumped back when you smelled the poison I released, huh. Not bad"

"..." Tanjiro drew his katana

"You're probably thinking this is my Blood demon art. Well...you're mostly correct"

Tanjiro couldn't get near to where the demon is hiding with how it envelop itself with poisonous air to avoid being seen.

"Show yourself!" Tanjiro demanded

"I can't do that. If I do...you would hesitate since your heart is different"

"What do you mean?"

The demon refused to answer and instead, it attacked Tanjiro with blood that crystallized as it splattered mid air.

"...?!"

When even the smallest fragment struck Tanjiro's left leg, it rendered the part of struck partially paralyzed.

"My...leg...?!"

"Now you can't go after me. You better catch me faster tomorrow night or more humans will die"

"Tomorrow night? Tanjiro-kun?"

While Tanjiro struggled to move his numbed left leg, he wondered what those two things meant.

_Just who..._

The following morning, Kanao regained consciousness, touching her head when she noticed her head had been bandaged.

"Kanao, you're awake. Come and eat"

Tanjiro offered Kanao to sit beside him as they are having their breakfast. Still a bit dizzy from receiving a heavy blow to the head, Kanao slowly walked towards the three and joined them for breakfast.

"The demon we were after. What happened to the demon?" Kanao immediately asked

"..." Zenitsu and Inosuke are both quiet

"It got away when we arrived. We found you on the side, wounded an unconscious"

"The demon moved faster than I could react...so I was immobilized right before I knew it..." Kanao clenched her fists

Kanao's body and reflexes are well trained and for a demon to take by her surprise immediately meant they are going to deal with a powerful demon.

"We'll just try again tonight. The demon will attack again" Tanjiro furrowed his eyebrows

"How so?" Zenitsu tilted his head

"Before it it got away...it told me. This time, we won't let it get away!"

"Right...we won't let it get away..." Kanao weakly nodded

She couldn't tell Tanjiro that demon she encountered was one of the demons she decapitated in the past but managed to survive the encounter by using an unknown power.

(Master...)

Kanao couldn't also confess how she tried to go after someone who believed to be Shinobu which lead her to a corner where the demon ambushed her. Still, she still believed who she saw is Shinobu.


	4. Masked in Poison

_Demons eat humans to survive..._

Deep within a mountain, inside a worn down house, Shinobu sat quietly inside. Sheltering herself away from humans walking around in the morning, Shinobu sweated profusely, resisting her inner demon.

"I must resist this hunger. I've devoured enough humans already..."

She repeatedly reminds herself, baring her fangs with her hunger overtaking even in her "human" state. She bit her own forearm, almost tearing the flesh off.

_You couldn't stop yourself from eating humans...yet you held yourself back against your old demon slayer allies..._

"I may have become a demon at night...but I haven't thrown away my humanity"

_You're...a stubborn one..._

With her hunger kicking in, Shinobu clawed off the old tatami covers and lashed out at her surroundings.

_Your tsugoku, Kanao...was it? You sure care about her_

"...?!"

_You incapacitated her quickly so you wouldn't have to fight her...and eat her..._

"If you're planning to go after Kanao...I won't let you"

_For a weak Pillar, you have quite the willpower. I could barely take your body once night falls_

The demon is both amused and displeased at how Shinobu struggled to retain control over her own ressurected body.

_You have to eat more humans once it becomes night again. Those young ones are still looking for you_

"...?!"

_I wonder what does your little tsugoku tastes like_

"Even if your control is stronger at night...I won't surrender my body that easily!"

Shinobu remained defiant over the demon whom she constantly tries to dominate control. The demon fell quiet as Shinobu clenched her fists in visible anger.

_Why are you rejecting your demon self? You're a demon now_

"Even if my body had become a demon...my mind and heart are still human!"

_You don't understand, do you?_

"...?!"

_You're always frustrated and lament at how physically weak you are_

"What are you trying to say?"

_Shinobu, you finally got what you wish for and you reject it_

"This...this isn't what I wished for! I would never wish to become a demon just to be stronger!"

The demon lamented on how Shinobu failed to understand why she accept herself as a demon now.

_You've eaten humans so there's no turning back now...but you still couldn't eat other demon slayers_

"I was a demon slayer...a Pillar. Even if I became this monster, I will never kill a single one of my allies"

_Holding yourself back against the former allies who will kill you once they find out about you being alive again as a demon...is pathetic_

Clearly, the demon is disappointed at how no matter what she says and does, Shinobu wouldn't simply budge or faze. Her constant anger running deep makes it difficult for the demon.

Then the sun goes down...

As the sky darkens with the sun setting and shifting to nightfall, Shinobu groaned in excruciating pain and sweated profusely, clawing her face and neck. As night falls, her demon side became dominant that demon fangs and distinctive eyes became visible.

"This hunger..."

Every night, her demon instincts always urges her to feed on living humans to satisfy her relentless hunger but every night, Shinobu resists with barely success in the end. She knew once she sink her teeth, one victim would add up more and more.

"I can't eat humans..."

Her body unconsciously, stepped outside of her hideout. Her body shivered, craving for victims in the town not far away from her location.

"No...no...I can't. I have to...resist...!"

She bit her lip until blood came out. As a demon, Shinobu has little resistance when it comes to her primary instinct to eat humans.

"Kanao and the others. If they find out...I'll be forced to fight them...and kill them"

More than anything, Shinobu wanted to avoid Tanjiro's group currently in the town, unaware the demon they're hunting is none other than Shinobu.

_You have to feed...or your hunger will drive you mad..._

A voice inside her head whispered and forced her to move in a blind way to satisfy her hunger.

"...?!"

Catching the scent of blood from a nearby drunk human who injured himself after bumping and stumbling at every corner, Shinobu swallowed her breath.

"I have to eat - no, I can't!"

The vulnerable and lone human was a tempting prey for a demon but she continued to resist even if her hunger is driving her mad.

"Grrr...aaarrgh!"

Losing to her hunger once again, Shinobu charged at the human and pinned him down the ground. Before he could scream, Shinobu bit through his throat and ripped off both the skin and flesh, letting the gush out.

"...!"

Smelling a large amount of blood, Shinobu completely lost herself and driven by her primal instincts, pierced her hand on the body and pulled out the dead man's innards. She ripped out his abdomen and exposed the organs by tearing his skin open with her bare teeth. She feasted on every part right before her but she stopped.

"...?!"

Regaining her senses, Shinobu realized she had killed another human after losing her sanity to hunger. Repulsed at how much she devoured the human, she felt nauseas. She is at the verge of vomiting over the smell of blood in her mouth and the taste of blood is all over the inside of her mouth.

"I smell human blood here!"

Realizing Tanjiro had caught the scent of strong human blood, Shinobu quickly fled the scene knowing that he's not the only one.

"It's running away in a panic!"

Zenitsu's accurate and strong senses of hearing along with Tanjiro's sense of smell makes it impossible for her to shake them lose.

"Come and face me, demon! Inosuke-sama is going to chop you up!"

Inosuke challenged the fleeing Shinobu not knowing who she is due to the distance and lack of light.

"We won't let you get away!" Kanao added

Kanao, being the one with enhanced sense of sight caught a glimpse of the demon's back despite the dark surroundings.

(M-master...?!)

She recognized Shinobu's figure even from behind but she refused to believe it as the Insect Pillar died right before her eyes. It was a memory she won't be able to erase.

(I have to get away from them)

Aiming to immobilize one of them, Shinobu released a paralyzing poison from her fingertips and shot it like a high speed projectile which struck Zenitsu who was busy screaming and panicking to realize she had attacked.

"Zenitsu?!"

After hitting Zenitsu's left leg, the latter fell face first on the ground at high speed. Tanjiro is forced to aid him while Inosuke continued chasing the demon.

"Bwahahaha! Shooting things at me won't work since I can tell which part of my body you're aiming" Inosuke boasted

"Don't lose sight of the demon!"

Kanao pushed her legs and stamina to its maximum to pursue the demon faster than the demon. Controlling her breathing, Kanao steadied her increased speed without bursting her lungs and heart.

"Master! Is that you?!" She wanted to confirm

(Kanao?!)

Shinobu is initially surprised but she's clearly aware about Kanao being able to see in the dark better than anyone. She kept running and running until she fled the town and entered a forest where she stopped in an open ground.

Hmm? You stopped? It seems you realized escaping from those kids is impossible

(Shut it, demon) Shinobu whispered to herself

She stood there until Kanao confronted her with her katana drawn, prepared to fight the demon the second she moves.

"You're probably the demon who knocked me out the other night"

Kanao tightened her grip on her sword while Shinobu remained quiet and still. Choosing to make the first move, Kanao prepared to leap forward and unleash a form of her flower breath only to cancel when the clouds passed the moon that shone its faint light on the earth.

"Who...are you?"

Kanao is baffled at how the figure she was chasing earlier is completely different in the front.

You used your Blood Demon Art to emit a hallucinating poison when inhaled

The demon is somewhat impressed at Shinobu for not letting Kanao discover she is alive. By having Kanao inhale the poison, Kanao's keen sense of sight had been deceived.

"You look surprised, young demon slayer. Who are you anyway?"

Shinobu is careful not call her "Kanao" in an instant or she will figure out she fell into Shinobu's poison.

"Like I would tell a demon my name!" Kanao raised her sword

Kanao lunged and swung her sword but Shinobu effortlessly evaded as her speed and her sttength had drastically compared to her old human body. She refused to admit it but upon gaining and using her new body as a demon, she actually enjoyed her newfound power.

"Breath of Flower fourth form: Crimson hanagaromo"

She quickly turned her feet and her body to where the demon Shinobu evaded and unleashed a single slash that curves and twists.

(She's fast!)

Even with Kanao's sharp eyesight that allows her to predict her opponent's next movements, the demon manages to evade her slash.

"Why aren't you fighting back?"

Both her first and second attack were only dodged by Shinobu, no retaliation whatsoever. Of course she wouldn't know Shinobu would never hurt her so she doesn't want to retaliate.

(I won't let you hurt Kanao, demon!)

Shinobu tightly held her shaking arm, resisting the demon from forcing her to fight back with the intention kill. If she were to kill Kanao, she could never forgive herself for hundreds of years. She already lost her older sister, she doesn't want to lose her tsugoku who is also her adoptive younger sister.

_I'm not the one fighting her right now so don't yell at me like I'm the one out there right now_

"...!"

_I really hate this willpower of yours. You really don't want to even scratch your tsugoku_

The demon expressed she's both unhappy and annoyed how she couldn't take over with Shinobu's solid refusal to harm Kanao in any way.

"I rather get my head cut off than hurt anyone from the demon slayer corps"

_Let's see about that. Whether you could truly avoid hurting your former allies_

Hearing maniacal screaming from above, Shinobu had forgotten Inosuke was chasing her with Kanao. The half naked boy gleefully laughed after he finally gets to confront the demon.

"Breath of the Beast second fang: Rip and tear!"

Inosuke swung both of his swords, unleashing a crossed shaped slash which Shinobu also effortlessly evaded but as soon as she jumped back, Kanao used the opportunity to lunge and aim for the neck.

(She's using her eyesight to charge at the slightest opening. In this case, Inosuke-kun coming from above)

While Kanao managed to connect her blade to the neck, she couldn't cut off the neck and managed to slightly slash the throat. Shinobu pressed her neck for a moment since the open wound disappeared in mere seconds. Inosuke quickly jumped to another direction when his skin tingled.

(He sensed the poison in the air and quickly jumped out of the range)

Shinobu is impressed by Inosuke's sensitive sense of touch which allows him to detect even a faint poison in the air.

"Gyaah! Shinobu's ghost!"

"Inosuke?" Kanao is confused

"That's a demon, right? Not a ghost?" Inosuke pointed

"What are you talking about? That demon doesn't look nowhere master!" Kanao also pointed

"Ha! So you're playing tricks on me?! You won't trick me, demon!"

Kanao grew more confused as Inosuke is seeing Shinobu while Kanao is seeing someone else. While she was chasing the demon, she believed she recognized Shinobu from behind.

(Is Inosuke being tricked or is it me?)

She and Inosuke circled the demon as if aiming for a pincer attack, Kanao in the front and Inosuke in the back.

"This time I will cut your head off!"

Inosuke charged in a loud scream about to use the third fang and Kanao with her fifth form.

"...!"

Their swords landed on nothing but thin air. Shinobu kicked Inosuke to the face and sent him flying and she spun kicking Kanao down to the ground.

"Looks like the poison is taking effect that your senses is slowing down. Even to someone like you, Inosuke"

Shinobu swung a nichirin sword she stole from one of the demon slayers she encountered. Shinobu looked at Inosuke shaking her head as Inosuke willingly inhaling the poison just to land a blow.

(She managed to cut me? With that speed, why didn't she slash me?)

Inosuke is surprised at how the demon landed a normal cut on his shoulder faster before he could react. What's more is that Inosuke noticed the sword the demon used to cut him is laced with her own blood.

"So this is your blood demon art? Which is why Inosuke and I are seeing different things"

"Yes but this is only a very weak poison that I used on yo but I used my blood against Inosuke for better effect. It will confuse your senses then once it takes full effect, you'll be paralyzed from head to toe"

Shinobu pointed out the ability of a non-lethal poison to the two as Kanao begin to stiffen while Inosuke is trying to build up resistance.

"This won't work on me! I grew up to the mountains so no poison or venom will work on me!"

"You have a strong immunity against normal poison but I'm a demon who specializes in poison. It takes some time but I can create poison stronger than the immunity of the target"

Shinobu pointed out how her Blood demon art focuses on creating all types of poison in different forms and lethality.

"Hahahaha! Demon poison or not, nothing will put me down"

Inosuke loosened his grip on his swords and collapsed on the ground, having a seizure from the poison finally taking effect.

"No matter how high the resistance, a human is still a human. Don't worry, I made sure not to kill you"

With Inosuke put out of action, Shinobu turned her attention to Kanao who tried to move but her legs were the first part to stiffen.

"I won't kill you either. I may have eaten humans but I won't allow myself to kill any of you, Kanao"

Shinobu knocked Kanao out by striking a certain point in her neck and let her call to the ground. She looked at the two, successfully incapacitating them without killing them.

_You win this night, Shinobu_

"..."

_Even if you didn't kill them, you liked this power. Your body was physically weak compared to the other Pillars after all..._

"Shut it...!"

Shinobu clenched her fists, knowing a part of her enjoyed her new body. Her newfound power and superior physical abilities was exhilarating for someone like her who loathed herself for being weaker than her delicate older sister.

"..."

Shinobu swung her sword against a tree, cutting it with ease unlike when she was human. Shinobu couldn't even cut a demon's head off because she was smaller and weaker but becoming a demon gave her the power she longed.

_How long can you hold yourself back? I'm curious..._

Shinobu briefly looked back and saw Tanjiro with a limping Zenitsu finally catching up to her.

"Tanjiro, she beat both of them!" Zenitsu panicked

Seeing Inosuke still in a seizure and Kanao knocked out, Zenitsu hid behind Tanjiro who drew his sword without a thought but didn't attack as he somewhat distinguished the scent from the demon's poison.

"This smell..."

He could faintly recognize the demon's scent from the poison mixed in the air like the same one used the other night. Preparing to face the demon, he gently puts down the box with Nezuko in it.

"Just stay here, Nezuko. This fight might get rough"

Tanjiro nodded at Zenitsu, gesturing him to watch over the box while he faces the demon alone.

"You have a familiar smell" Tanjiro couldn't fully recognize it

"T-Tanjiro...Kanao and Inosuke" Zenitsu pointed

"It's alright, Zenitsu. They're still alive"

"If you're going to fight me, then charge without hesitation"

Tanjiro wasted no time to hesitate and swung his blade using the fourth form of the Water Breath.

(He had gotten stronger)

When Tanjiro made several slashes while moving his body like a flowing current, he managed to land several hit even if the cuts didn't wound Shinobu much.

(What's this smell? She is a demon but she doesn't have the bloodlust)

Tanjiro is confused at Shinobu's scent since this is the first time he fought a demon with no intention to kill.

"You don't have the intent to kill us. You just knocked out Inosuke and Kanao after all" Tanjiro wanted to know why

"You are correct but I won't tell the reason why"

"Even if you don't want to kill us, I will cut your head off. You've devoured humans after all"

Tanjiro is set on defeating the demon whom he doesn't know is Shinobu but he caught a faint scent.

"I admire your resolve, Tanjiro-kun"

Right before Tanjiro knew it, the demon Shinobu moved behind him and prepared to strike him down using her bare fists.

(She's fast. This kind of speed incapacitated Inosuke and Kanao)

Luckily, he managed to detect her scent a split second before she attacked.

"Tanjiro!"

"Stay back, Zenitsu. Your leg is still paralyzed"

Zenitsu wanted to help but both his fear and numb leg is preventing him from helping Tanjiro.

"Don't look away when you're fighting a demon"

Shinobu landed a round kick which hit Tanjiro to his jaw and sent him flying like she did with Inosuke. Before he could recover, Shinobu grabbed his face and smashed it to the ground.

"...?!"

Just as Tanjiro stood up, Shinobu struck him on his right send, breaking a rib or two.

"Breath of Water first form: Water surface slash!"

He quickly swung his sword and unleashed a form which cut a deep wound on her neck.

"You've eaten several humans in that town. I won't forgive you for taking the loved ones of other people"

Tanjiro launched a powerful strike that shortened his distance but Shinobu drew her sword to blocked his attack and pushed him away.

"I know..."

Knowing Tanjiro wouldn't give up, Shinobu is forced to retaliate but she planned on incapacitating him as well so she could escape without being pursued again.

"Dance of the dragonfly: Compound eye Hexagon"

She stabbed Tanjiro but she held back her strength so she wouldn't pierce his vital organs.

"This move-?!"

Tanjiro quickly turned to slice her head off when she landed behind him but his arm stopped midway.

"M-my arms...!"

"Blood demon art..."

Tanjiro's vision blurred and his body trembled. He desperately gathered his remaining strength but he couldn't swing his blade anymore. With a powerful smack with the back of her hand, Tanjiro gets knocked down to the ground.

"Tanjiro!"

Before his eyes and his consciousness shuts down, he can hear Zenitsu screaming for help as the "unknown" female demon walks away from her. Though moments before he falls unconscious, he caught a glimpse of a butterfly-like haori, like the one Shinobu wears.

_That haori. Her scent...and attack. It was like...I was fighting...Shinobu-san..._


	5. To Survive

**Note:** I haven't continued this chapter for a while since I have my responsibilities as a working adult so it became difficult to handle now that I got promoted. Still, I regularly follow Kimetsu no Yaiba and other animes up until to this day.

I'm restless waiting for chapter 201. My boy can't die like that easily (specially after the WTF moment with giant baby Muzan and his anticlimactic death).

About the following/future chapters: Of course some demons will come into the story since it revolves around a demon-turned Pillar, like the fans' "love to hate asshole" and the one upper moon that didn't really matter.

* * *

As a "human", the supposedly deceased Kochou Shinobu can partially tolerate the sunlight but she will be incapable of using her demonic strength and abilities. Rendered powerless in daylight, Shinobu took shelter deep within a forest, far away from humans she might devoid again.

"It's really hard to hold myself from eating humans. My demon instincts is too strong resist" Shinobu bites her hand

She admitted to herself that her instincts as a demon overpowers her mind that remained human. She refused to devour humans after the flash with Tanjiro and the others but it's impossible for her to deny her demonic instincts. Much like other demons, her primary need is to feed and feed.

"Ever since losing my sister, I fought hard to kill demon after demon...but to end up as one of them..."

_You're saying like that's a bad thing..._

The child pestering inside her mind haunted her once again but as formless shadowy figure with a pair of glowing red eyes and jagged teeth. Black appendages crept up within her mind, crawling from head to toe, an uncomfortable feeling she wished she could slice off like a demon's head.

"You again! Just who are you exactly?!"

_A demon much stronger than you. I'm a demon who can give you the strength you desired the most-_

"You're not stealing my body, demon!"

You won't have much choice in the future. Besides...just because I'm demon doesn't me I can't use a sword.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_Let's just say once you experience what I can do...you wouldn't get enough of it_

The demon in a form of a disembodied voice who sometimes takes the shape of a "white figure" teased Shinobu as if she's sarcastically tempting her.

_I may not be as powerful as my master but he acknowledged I can be one of the six if given the chance to prove myself_

"...!"

"Even if you have the power, I won't let you hurt anyone!"

_Hahahaha! It was fascinating how you're still soft towards those children...specially that girl_

"I would never hurt my former allies, specially Kanao"

_You killed and ate humans yet you still hold back against the demon slayers_

"..."

_They will kill you without a doubt when they see a former Pillar turned demon...that devoured humans_

"I know that, you worthless shadow in my head"

_Then what will you do? Will you let them kill you to be put out of your misery...or will you kill them first out of your instinct to survive?_

The demon laughed Shinobu's predicament, knowing whether what she will choose will only cause suffering for her. Shinobu, who had lost her family to demons, had been forced to become one of them upon her death.

_Don't worry. You're not the only dying body to be turned. You're body was mostly intact after all_

"What do you mean?!"

_I'm in a good mood today so I'll tell you one thing. There are demons out there who were once like you, demon slayers whose bodies where used to create demons_

"...?!"

_Just like your case, you were a minute from dying before you ingested demon blood_

"Ingested...demon blood..."

_I'm sure it's not easy to remember how your body received demon blood after your neck was bit_

"...!"

_Well, it's two hours before sundown so you better start looking for food..._

The demon image in her mind vanished and so is the terror and disgust tightly gripping her from head to toe.

"Let myself get killed by demon slayers...or choose to live. Sister...if it was you, would you choose to die?"

Frustrated at her cursed fate as a demon who deeply hated demons as a demon slayer, Shinobu bit her lip and furiously clenched her fists. As sundown slowly approaches, Shinobu could feel her stomach urging to be filled and her mouth craving to taste and bite on flesh.

"Kkh! No...not again...!"

Even if night hasn't fallen yet, Shinobu's natural hunger as a demon slowly takes over and fearing she would uncontrollably dig her fangs into human flesh and start consuming their parts, Shinobu mustered every once of willpower to prevent herself from commiting another sin.

"I must restrain this hunger. I can't eat humans each night!"

Her claws dug through the solid ground, profusely sweating as her mind as a demon slayer is fighting off her urge as a demon with a natural instinct to devour humans in order to satisfy their hunger and grow stronger.

"My stomach feels like it's twisting and my mouth wants another taste of human blood"

Fighting her own urges exhausted her mental strength and physical strength as restraining herself from feeding is draining her energy. No matter how much her instincts are screaming to run and search for more humans to feed on, Shinobu relied on willpower alone to bound herself from hunting for food.

"I can't...I can't...kill another...innocent...human..."

For about thirty minutes, she fought her hunger until she exhausted herself to the point her drained mental strength forces her to pass out. Her starving body collapsed on the ground, fortunately with no one in sight to spot her.

**Two hours later**

Waking up in a cold sweat, Shinobu quickly raise herself and nervously scan her surroundings. The sun is gone and night had overtaken. With no humans in sight, Shinobu could at least momentarily relax as she wouldn't have to feed on wandering or lost humans.

"Ggh!'

As Shinobu walked out of hiding, she immediately collapsed on the ground as her shaking body gives out immediately.

"Three days. I managed to not anything for three days...and I'm already this weak"

Since she hasn't eaten anything for three days, Shinobu hasn't completely lost her strength but she's weak on the level that her body is shaking and her stomach is turning and twisting out of pure hunger.

"...?!"

Shinobu bit her lip as her enhanced senses caught the scent of fresh human blood. The smell of blood is strong letting Shinobu think an injured human is wandering in the forest without clue for any danger lurking in the dark.

"Human blood. A single whiff of it and my instincts is urging every part of me to take it"

She cut down one tree to another, continuing to restrain herself from taking another innocent life. She fought demons so no other people could suffer losing their loved ones and the fact that the ones she killed had loved ones coils her heart with guilt and self-hatred.

"Grr...aaauughh!"

The more she restrains herself, the more she puts herself in excruciating pain. Using all of her willpower and mental strength just to restrain herself is driving her mad and she feared she would kill anyone both innocent humans and demon slayers until someone puts her out of her misery.

"...?!"

As she almost drowns in her urge to feed, Shinobu quickly rose on two feet with a stolen nichirin blade in hand.

"This is..."

She quickly shifts her attention on what she sensed and without a moment to hesitate, the former Insect Pillar rushed away while still restraining herself at the cost of her own sanity. The human she sensed is indeed an injured human hunter who is spotted by two ordinary demons.

"Back off! That human is mine!" The short-haired demon growled

"I found him first! He's my food!" The large demon growled deeper

As the two demons fight over who gets to feast on the human, their prey used the opportunity to drag her incredibly terrified self away from the scene while the two demons bite and punch each other.

"Aaaaah! The food is getting away"

"Grrrr! You're fault!"

Before the two demons could chase the fleeing and screaming human, a butterfly-like figure gracefully landed in front of them, coming down from the high trees surrounding them. Shinobu turned to face the demons, her typical demon eyes fixated on the two with pure disgust.

"If you want food, go find your own. That one is mine!" The short haired demon declared

"Yeah, go find your own human to eat or I'll rip your face off!" The bigger demon threatened

Shinobu couldn't bother herself to even speak to lowly demons who had completely lost their humanity and became savages who only thinks of feeding and keeping themselves alive. She placed one hand on the sheath and the other on the hilt.

"...!"

With a quick draw faster than two common demons to react in time, Shinobu quickly decapitated the huge demon when he approached and threatened her.

"W-waaaaah!"

It doesn't take a genuis to know that the demon wearing a demon slayer's uniform had just decapitated and turned a demon to dust with a nichirin.

"...!"

The terrified demon fled for his life without trying to process to why a demon would kill another demon using a nichirin blade. Shinobu, being a demon much stronger than an average one, quickly pursued with the escaping demon and severed its leg, making him stumble on the ground.

"I don't want to eat another human so let's see if other demons would suffice"

An average demon without a blood demon art would take at least a minute to regenerate from an injury caused by a nichirin sword. Of course before Shinobu could allow the demon to regenerate and waste more seconds in chasing him, she started by severing his parts, without decapitating the head.

"..."

Since she's not devouring a human, Shinobu dug into an unusual meal. Compared to humans, demon flesh is less appetizing and less tasty like meat not cooked properly. Even if the taste of demon flesh is less satisfying, she continued to bit off the flesh and tore from the skin to the flesh. Shinobu ripped and chew, feasting on demon flesh to fill her empty stomach.

"..."

She fed herself like an animal who hadn't been on a successful hunt, licking off the blood from her mouth to her fingertips.

"Demons are cheap meals but at least I can eat them"

Shinobu finished off the demon upon feeding on him enough. She licked the remaining blood on the back of her hand and her wrist, tolerating how demon flesh is obviously less tasty and less satisfying compared to human flesh.

"One full human meal is enough to satisfy a demon for a couple of days or so but if it's a demon...I need to eat a few more to keep myself full for a few days..."

Shinobu estimated but she's not entirely sure about the human part as she tends to run away without ever finishing her meal. Whenever Shinobu gets overwhelmed by her instinct, she blacks out and preys on humans. When she regains her senses, she would immediately flee without eating an entire human.

Hahahahaha! Cannibalizing on other demons now, huh

"...?!"

Well, other demons cannibalize out of desperation to eat but you... it's an alternative

"I don't want to eat humans so demons will have to do"

Yeah, I knew you'd try. It makes me wonder why you didn't do this earlier

"I refuse to feed on another human. If I'm going to be a demon, then I'm going to be a demon that feeds on demon"

Ahahaha! At least you found an alternative way to live with your permanently demon body

"Be quiet..."

She clicked her tongue in pure disdain and searched for more demons to feed on as one isn't enough to satisfy her even for a whole day. She will need a few more in order to fill her stomach and lay dormant until she needs to feed to again.

**At the same time**

Kanroji Mitsuri is one of physically strongest demon slayers contrasting her frail-looking appearance. Due to her muscle being eight times more than an average man and the mobility of her joints, she can swing her flexible and whip-like sword faster than the Uzui Tengen.

"Hyaaaaah!"

She unusually graces around the battle, her way of swinging her whip-like sword similar to a gymnast performing with a laso. At first glance, she seems like an easy prey for a demon despite being a demon slayer but her laid-back and cheerful personality is always a fatal mistake for demons when her flexible sword severe their head.

"I'm getting hungry from moving too much now. I'm all sweaty!"

The Love Pillar complained about sweating from the demons that hid deep within a forest.

"If only these demons could hide in a hole and never come out. That would be nice"

With demons eliminated within her vicinity, Mitsuri momentarily lowered her weapon and took a deep breath.

"...?!"

She quickly resumes a battle stance at the sound of demon screaming in pain. Their screams are all cut off, someone swiftly killing them one by one.

"I must check it out!"

Without even speculating what could be the reason behind those screams, Mitsuri followed her curiosity and rushed to the source of demons being killed one by one. Under the light of moon, Mitsuru quickly stops in her tracks as she only found blood everywhere, the only remains of demons after they are eliminated.

"Huh? I could've sworn I heard someone"

Mitsuri looked everywhere but there isn't a single human or demon in sight. She's certain she heard the swinging of a sword and demon pleading for their lives but she found no trace of what happened or who caused it. What she stumbled upon is the bloodied aftermath. Before she arrived, Shinobu, the one who eliminated the demons Mitsuru heard, quickly fled as soon as she sensed someone heading to her direction.

"Kanroji-san is here. Hopefully I don't have to deal-"

Immediately sensing danger, Shinobu leaped out to avoid the distinctive "love sword" of the Love Pillar. While she shared serious injuries, the blade managed to land a shallow cut on her cheek but a minor damage immediately healed in a second.

"Aha! So it was - ack! What's with the air?!"

Mitsuri coughed and backed away before she could reveal the culprit behind the demons that have been killed earlier. More than anything, Shinobu doesn't want to be discovered by anyone, specially by one of the Pillars so she swiftly deployed her Blood demon art and released a poisonous mist that have varying effects depending on her choice.

"My head is spinning. I can't see clearly. Is this a Blood demon art?!"

Usually, Shinobu uses a poison that hinders her opponent's sense of sight, something she uses against demon slayers to remain unknown in their eyes.

"It is. You won't die...but you won't know me either"

"Breath of Love first form: Shivers of first love!"

Even if her sense of sight had weakened, Mitsuri is no ordinary demon slayer that can be taken down if one of her senses had been weakened. She leaped forward, unleashing a series of slashes right at the demon.

(Of course that won't stop her)

At the last second, Shinobu evaded any serious injury, only ending up with shallow cuts. Though her right eye had been slashed, her regeneration is faster than a regular demon.

"Woah! You're quick on your feet and nimble!"

Mitusuri squinted her eyes as she praised the demon for evading a serious attack from her. Now only if she could clearly identify who she is up against.

"Are you a lower moon or upper moon?"

"..."

"You're clearly not like the other demons I faced earlier"

"..."

"N-not the talkative type, huh..."

Mitsuri felt awkward facing a quiet opponent who doesn't entertain her carefree personality even in the middle of a battle.

"I..."

(It talked?! Wait, I heard her...or him talk earlier)

"I don't have time to deal with you"

Right before Mitsuru knew it, her opponent cancelled the battle and fled without a second thought.

"W-what?! Come back here! It's rude to run away like that!"

A pouting Mitsuri angrily chased the demon whom she doesn't know is Shinobu.

"She's persistent...!"

While fleeing Mitsuri, Shinobu had to evade the difficult to handle looking sword. Her blade would get anyone easily injured but she is the only who is capable of wielding such a weapon as the mobility of her joints and her muscle is built for such a weapon. She continued to chase the demon who leaped from one tree to another.

"Just let me cut off your head...!"

A frustrated Mitsuri angrily yelled and upon landing a deep wound on a fleeing Shinobu's leg, which caused her to fall and roll down on the ground. After five minutes of the chase, Mitsuri wore a proud smug as she cornered the demon under direct moonlight.

"Aha, I finally caught...you...Shinobu...san..."

Mitsuru's shoulders dropped and so did her jaw when the moonlight revealed the identity of the demon she's chasing. She rubbed her eyes with her vision still weakened but she's certain the one in front of her...is none other than Shinobu.

"Shinobu-san! It's you, isn't it? But aren't you dead?" Mitsuri is in great disbelief

(Shit! I let my guard down...!)

"It's a bit hard to see but you're Shinobu-san, right"

"Don't...call me by that name..."

"...?!"

"I am just a demon...and no one else. I'm just a demon wearing the face of a dead person"

Shinobu bit her lip and denied her real identity in front of Mitsuri who had yet to regain her clear vision.

"No, no, you're clearly Shinobu-san. I'm not entirely sure but my gut tells me you're Shinobu-san!"

"I'm no one living in the identity of a dead person! Don't make me repeat myself"

Shinobu released liquid poison from her fingertips and spreading that liquid on the ground caused crystallized poison spikes to sprout from the ground.

"Mist then spikes. What kind of Blood demon art is this?"

With a swing of her sword, Mitsuri destroyed the spikes that could have impaled her feet if she hadn't reacted in time.

(Just mixing a few type of chemicals and poison is wearing me out already because I only ate demons tonight)

Three days without feeding on humans took a toll on her demon body but even so, she refused to let her hunger subdue her.

(She's a demon but she holds a sword. This is the first I've seen it!) Mitsuri sparkled

Mitsuri prepared to face Shinobu who fell on one knee but quickly recovered.

"Just admit you're Shinobu-san! My gut is never wrong!"

"You're wasting your time..." Shinobu sighs

She still refused to admit she is indeed Kochou Shinobu a former Pillar who died in battle.

"There's a human over here!"

"I don't care if it's a demon slayer. She looks delicious!"

"I'm hungry!"

One demon turned to two, then three...then five...until a few more joined. Their fight had been interrupted by savage demons who are desperate to eat humans.

"Eeeeeh?! Seriously?!" Mitsuri isn't happy with the interruption

The starving demons aimed their sights at Mitsuri who is surprised to see the "family sized" demons who all want to have a taste of her flesh.

"I have no time for all of you! I - Eeh?! She ran away again!"

Mitusuri wanted to choose to go after Shinobu but the demons all charged at her, preventing her from pursuing Shinobu who used the distraction to escape.

"Aaaaah! Shinobu-san got away! It's these annoying demon's fault!"

After quickly eliminating the demons, Mitsuri tried to search for Shinobu bit broke down and cry as she knew Shinobu used the few minutes of distraction to successfully escape her. While Mitsuri laments the slipped opportunity, Shinobu sits down and rest when she confirmed Mitsuri is no longer pursuing her.

"It's not just Kanroji-san. Sooner or later I will cross blades with the other Pillars. When that time comes, I will have to choose whether to let them kill me...or live"

Faced with the dilemma on whether she choose to live or die, Shinobu angrily hit the ground, cursing her continued existence as a demon. Dying at the hands of a demon is an awful fate but becoming one...is an even worse fate.

* * *

**Chapter 06:** After the unexpected encounter and failed pursuit by Mitsuri, Tanjiro's group approached the Love Pillar when Kanao is informed about the possibility of Shinobu being alive. This motivates Kanao and the trio to search for clues about the demon who resembled Shinobu.


	6. The Mystery Behind

Note: Giyuu was supposed to be somewhere in this chapter but I feel like I'll probably put him in the next chapter? Or future chapters? He'll make his appearance soon since he'll play an important role. The "disembodied voice" will be explained soon too.

I'm anxious on what's going to happen next in the manga. I hope this doesn't go the 7 Deadly Sin route.

* * *

After the encounter with an unknown demon whom she presumed was Shinobu, Kanroji Mitsuri goes to the Butterfly estate to deliver the news herself. The anxious Love Pillar paced back and forth, weighing on her decision to either forfeit or proceed. She couldn't properly decide since she believe Kanao wouldn't easily accept what she had discovered.

(Did I do right thing? Tell the Oyakata-sama alone but not the other Pillars. Now I'm going to tell Kanao-chan!)

Mitsuri paced around faster, her indecivness and anxiety gradually growing until to the point she surrendered on the ground.

"Am I even sure at what I saw? I mean that demon poisoned my eyes and besides dead people can't come back to life. That's way too freaky!"

Mitsuri rolled on the ground, unable to understand who she had faced that night. She doubts herself either what she saw was real or just an illusion that her hindered vision created. While the Love Pillar remained uncertain, Kanao, who had just returned from a mission, spots the eccentric Pillar outside the estate.

(That Pillar...)

Recognizing the pink-haired Pillar rolling on the ground, Kanao slowly approached the unaware Mitsuri and the moment she gently tapped her shoulder...

"Eek!"

Mitsuri jumped out of the ground like she's ready to spring into action. Though she quickly calmed down upon seeing it's just Kanao...who is confused to what has gotten into her.

"K-Kanao-chan...?"

"What is Mitsuri-san doing rolling in front of the estate?" Kanao tilted her head

"Ah well...you see...there's something I need to tell you...but it feels so complicated! I feel like Kanao-chan isn't going to believe me"

"I'm not going to believe you?"

"I was on a mission, then...then this demon..."

"Would you like to tell me about it over a cup of tea? I feel like this is a long story"

"Yes...!"

Kanao invited Mitsuri inside the Butterfly estate so the Pillar may calmly explain what she's aiming to tell Kanao while they are having tea.

"So what's this about a demon?" Kanao gently blows on her hot tea

"I think the demon I saw is Shinobu-san!"

Without a second thought, Mitsuri skipped from the beginning and immediately told Kanao what she had discovered. A shocked Kanao fell silent, clearly she heard Kanroji Mitsuri say she met a demon who she believed was Shinobu.

(Ah! I got too anxious and told her immediately! I was supposed to let her know slowly)

She wanted to inform Kanao in a slow pace so she may not be shocked, Mitsuri had discarded it out of nervousness to tell the tsuguko of the deceased Pillar whom she presumedly met as a demon.

"I...I don't understand. You said..."

"Let me explain from the beginning. It started when I had to deal with a bunch of demons who gathered in one place"

With a calm exhale, Mitsuri regains her composure and this time, she aimed to explain what she had just revealed from the beginning.

"So that's what basically happened..."

(So Master could still be alive...but...)

"Kanao-chan?"

"Kanroji-san...are you sure on what you saw. Is my Master...really alive?"

"Well...when I tried asking her if she's Shinobu-chan, she keeps denying it and she keeps running away until she eventually run away"

Mitsuri felt depressed just remembering how the demons that distracted her allowed the demon Shinobu to escape. She tried to pursue Shinobu but she had quickly fled the area in an unknown direction.

(If the demon was really Master...then she probably don't want to fight a former comrade so she ran away)

Deep inside Kanao, she would like to believe that the demon Mitsuri encountered was indeed Shinobu. She lost Kanae to the demons and the same thing happened to Shinobu.

"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have told you this. Shinobu-san was like a big sister to you, isn't she?"

"She was..."

(Waaaahh! I made Kanao-chan all sad...!)

Kanao's mood turned gloomy in an instant and Mitsuri now regretted letting Kanao informed on her encounter with the unknown demon.

"Ooooiii! Hamanao, do you guys have any meat? I'm starving!"

Kanao snapped out of her gloom and Mitsuri jolted when the brash and loud Inosuke screamed at the top of his lungs while Zenitsu carries him by holding both of his arms while Tanjiro held by the leg. It looked like Tanjiro and Zenitsu were delivering a stretcher rather than an injured Inosuke.

"U-uhm...what's going on?" Kanao is confused at how they brought Inosuke

"I'm hungry! Give me food!"

"Shut up, you stupid boar! Worry about your broken bones first!"

"That's right. You were reckless and almost got crushed by that demon. You may be flexible but you're not invincible" Tanjiro added

"Huh?! Like a fatass of a demon can take down Inosuke-sama!"

Inosuke struggled and wriggled so much that both Tanjiro and Zenitsu dropped him on the ground. Inosuke's injuries then rang, the excruciating pain of having half of his body broken made him writhe in pain but of course he's holding himself from screaming.

"You're a mess again! If it wasn't for these two, you'd be dead already!" Aoi came and scolded him

"Shut it, midget! You can't even fight a bear!"

"Then let me toss you to a bear so it can shred you to pieces!"

Their quarrel continued even as the trio Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho drags Inosuke who's twitching from his injuries.

"H-how was your mission?" Kanao stuttered to ask Tanjiro

"It went fine thanks to Zenitsu passing out and taking down the huge demon we fought"

"I didn't took down anyone. I got so scared I passed out!" Zenitsu denied

"You must be tired. Why don't I get you some tea? Kanroji-san and I were just having tea" Kanao invited them

(Uwaaah! It's like I'm getting couple's vibe from these two)

Mitsuri blushed as her heart beat faster seeing how close Tanjiro and Kanao are, even comparing them as a couple.

"By the way, it's nice to see you again, Kanroji-san" Tanjiro then switches his attention to Mitsuri

"W-well, it's nice to see you kids doing fine"

"Are you here to treat your injuries too, Kanroji-san? We had to drag Inosuke hear since he kept insisting he's fine and don't need little girls to take care of him"

Tanjiro gently laughs even while he hears Inosuke's faint screaming and screeches in the background.

"W-well...I just came to tell Kanao-chan something important. I-I was taking my leave anyway..."

"Kanroji-san, will you tell them too?" Kanao grabbed Mitsuri's haori

"Are you sure, Kanao-chan?" Mitsuri whispered

"The truth us, the four of us we're in a mission not too long ago. I thought I saw master in the town when I saw her figure right in front of me"

"You kids saw her too?"

"S-saw what?" Zenitsu nervously asked

"Let's all have tea first before I tell what happened during my last mission"

Confused, both Tanjiro and Zenitsu looked at each other for a moment. Tanjiro gladly nodded while Zenitsu reluctantly shrugged his shoulders. While Inosuke's injuries is still being treated, all four of them sit by over a cup of tea before Mitsuri relays what she told Kanao to the two boys.

"This is about Shinobu-chan so I don't think you guys won't believe or understand what happened during my last mission"

"Please tell us all the details if it's about Shinobu-san" Tanjiro is prepared for any surprise

Mitsuri is reluctant to reveal the details of her last mission outside of Kanao and Ubayashiki Kagaya since she never even told about this to the other Pillars, specially Obanai.

"Hear me out. I was sent to dispatch demons hiding deep within a forest and the freakiest thing happened...!"

Slamming the deal, surprising Tanjiro and making Zenitsu let out a short cry, Mitsuri mustered enough strength to reveal the events of her last mission, an encounter she couldn't believed she experienced of all people.

"Kyaaaah! Are you telling me a dead person came back from the dead?! Not even Demons can do that!"

At the mere thought of a deceased person being alive again like nothing happened, freaked Zenitsu out as he feared fighting the undead just as he feared demons.

"There's something I didn't tell anyone, not to Kanao or Zenitsu and Inosuke"

"Tanjiro?" Kanao is confused

"Kanao, remember when we were chasing a demon that used poisonous mist too. Its abilities hindered our eyes and confused my sense of smell for a moment"

"Yes! I remember that. What about it?"

"The truth is...before the demon got away, it had Shinobu-san's scent. Even while chasing it, I recognized the scent"

"What?!" Zenitsu's jaw dropped

"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?!" Kanao suddenly burst out

"...!"

"I-I'm sorry... it's just that it's about master we're talking about"

Kanao quickly apologized for raising her voice on Tanjiro when he revealed an important information he kept ever since that certain mission. Tanjiro smiled as he is a good-natured boy and understood that Shinobu was both a mentor and older sister to Kanao.

"T-that means Shinobu-chan is back from the dead?!"

"You don't have say it out loud!" Zenitsu looked like he's about to cry

"Calm down. We don't know that yet. We don't know whether a dead person can come back as a demon" Zenitsu forced Zenitsu to sit down

"I-I might be mistaken. I mean the demon made my eyesight all weird and bad" Mitsuri nervously laughed

"That's right! The demon could have Kochou-san's stuff so you thought it was her smell. For all we know, some scary demon might have taken her haori!"

Zenitsu refused to sit down and jumped out then he tried to come up with a rational reason behind why Tanjiro caught Shinobu's scent when they faced the unknown demon.

"You could actually be right but the smell was...genuine. When I got close to the demon, I quickly recognized the scent of anger. It was the same scent Shinobu-san had"

"If it's Shinobu-chan but as a demon then...we have to cut off her head. I mean it's our job but I don't think I would cut off Shinobu-chan's head"

"We don't know anything yet but I want to know more"

"Waaaahh! I can't tell the other Pillars since they won't hesitate to cut off her head like with Nezuko-chan! Specially if it's Shinezugawa-san!"

Mitsuri rolled on the ground, already feeling guilty that she decided to keep what they know a secret from the other Pillars, fearing they would immediately hunt down Shinobu and eliminate her immediately.

"Before the other Pillars realize, we'll find her and find out the truth" Tanjiro made his decision

Kanao nodded, their determination moved Mitsuri's loving and gentle heart that she felt like embracing the two in her partially bare chest.

"Whaaaa?! We're going to find this demon?! Are you serious?!"

"Of course! We'll track this demon and find out if it's really Shinobu-san!" Tanjiro is indeed serious

"Tanjiro, I don't want to go demon searching. Every single of them freak me out-"

Tanjiro grabs the trembling and whining Zenitsu's shoulders and straight right into his eyes with a menacing aura.

"Eeeek! Alright, alright, I'll come along too!" Zenitsu is intimidated into agreeing

"I wish I could help you but I have my duties as a Pillar"

"It's alright, Mitsuri-san. You telling this to us and keeping it a secret to the other Pillars is already a big help to us. I'm glad that it was you and not the other Pillars" Tanjiro smiled with gratittude

"Aaah! You're just so kind and bright, Tanjiro-kun! Whoever you marry is sure to be a lucky woman"

Mitsuri quickly pulled Tanjiro who is caught off-guard and embraced him tightly, making Zenitsu a bit jealous seeing how Tanjiro's face is being rubbed on Mitsuri's chest. As if implying something, Mitsuri quickly turned at Kanao and winked at her but the latter is clueless to her implication. The tsuguko didn't understand that Mitsuri was implying her since she supports the two's close relationship.

"Monitsu, Gonpachiro, get me out this hell!"

Inosuke tried to flee but he fell down with face first on the ground while the Butterfly estate girls forcefully drags Inosuke who clawed and desperately clutched on the ground. For someone as loud and brash like Inosuke, he gets surprisingly weak against any 'treatment'. It may be a sudden interruption, but at least the four got a good laugh out of it.

**Two days later**

While Inosuke still recovers from getting his entire body crushed and Zenitsu being scolded by All for stealing snacks again, Tanjiro sits by Kanao and enjoy the peaceful afternoon.

"The other day, what Kanroji-san said...do you think master is still alive?"

Kanao mustered enough courage to ask a heavy question to Tanjiro. Kanao has her doubts and fears but she feels comfort speaking with the trio.

"I'm not sure, Kanao. We all know Shinobu-san died at the hands of demons...but I caught her scent during that mission"

"..."

"If Shinobu-san is indeed alive, she may not be the same one we know"

"Is it because she might be a demon? And like other demons, she will eat humans...and we will have to kill her"

Kanao's hands tensed up, fearing for the worst case scenario. Kanao viewed Shinobu as an older sister too and she doesn't know whether she could bring herself to kill Shinobu if she were to face her as a demon.

"Kanao, you're not alone in this one. You have the three of us: me, Inosuke, and Zenitsu"

"Tanjiro..."

"If the time will come we find out Shinobu-san is alive as a demon, we will be there for you"

"T-thank you..."

Seeing Tanjiro support her and his smile as bright as the sun, Kanao's heart raced and her cheeks reddened.

"You don't have to think too much about it right now, Kanao. None of us are sure if it's possible so that's why you don't need to constantly think about it"

"I know but...it always reminds me of how I was on the mission where master died"

"I see. So you still blame yourself for what happened"

"I know it's not my fault but I wished I could have done something"

"We all wished the same thing, Kanao. If we could just turn back time to bring back those who we lost"

"Tanjiro..."

Kanao knew Tanjiro had lost her family to demons and his sister had become a demon. He is someone who suffered great loss, continued forward without ever losing his kindness. It's one of the reasons she admires him.

**In an unknown location**

Residing in a house concealed by a Blood demon art, the demon doctor Tamayo examines a feral demon chained tightly to a bed. Bound and gagged, the demon squirmed and let out muffled growls.

"Tamayo-sama..."

The worried Yushiro stayed closed to Tamayo and never let his guard down even for a single second. Contrastingly, Tamayo is rather calm while examining the demon up close. She didn't worry that the demon might break free and attack her as she is focused on studying the demon's case.

"Not only innocent humans are turned...but even demon slayers too..."

Demon slayers trained themselves for the sole purpose of exterminating demons that preyed on humans and for them to turn into demon themselves is both and tragic. Tamayo understood this, her heart ached at the sight of a demon slayer reduced to a wild and mindless demon.

"How can they turn demon slayers into demons themselves. No demon slayer would voluntarily let themselves to become what they want to destroy"

"Do you see this, Yushiro?"

Tamayo points at the large tear on the abdominal part of the demon slayer's uniform. The blood on the tear's edges had been dried for hours or even for a whole day but it was the only damage on the uniform.

"This demon slayer had suffered a mortal wound. Perhaps before his cells has died...he was turned"

"So...he was turned when he died?" Yushiro raised an eyebrow

"This boy was probably turned into a demon against his will"

Tamayo doesn't believe the demon slayer right before them is someone who voluntarily became a demon but Yushiro irs someone who believes even demon slayers would allow themselves to become demons in order to survive.

"Demon slayers train themselves to fight demons, pushing their physical limit and brightening their senses. A demon slayer who is turned into a demon can get stronger faster than an average demon"

"Now that I think about it, since they keep strengthening themselves as humans they'd keep growing stronger as demons but faster. If a Pillar was somehow converted into a demon..."

Yushiro shakes his head, not wanting to imagine what kind of monstrosity will a demon-turned Pillar would be. Pillars attained their position and status by proving their skills and talents in combat.

"If someone like a Pillar who is turned into a demon is left alone even for a short amount of time, that kind of demon will progress faster than an ordinary demon"

"..." Yushiro swallowed his breath

"Whoever is converting these demon slayers into demons couldn't be Kibutsuji himself as after hundreds of years...he never done this before"

Tamayo knew what Muzan is capable of and what kind of man he is so she doesn't believe that someone who sought immortality and feared the first demon slayer would bother himself in turning demon slayers as his minions.

* * *

For the night, Shinobu manages to restrain herself from preying on humans with cannibalizing on other demons slowing and keeping her hunger at bay.

_Even without a breathing style, you can handle average demons but there will be a time where you will face stronger demons like the Demon Moons_

The voice took the shape of a vague and indistinguishable humanoid demon. The "child" is somewhere around the figure of Kanao, estimating the demon may be the same age as Kanao in terms of physical appearance.

"I know that but I couldn't do Flower breathing the same way my sister did"

_Is it because you don't know how to use it or you don't want to use it? You learned it but you couldn't do it_

"What are you trying to say demon?"

_Unless you can use a breathing style, you wouldn't survive against an Upper Moon_

"..."

_Well unless you can use my breathing style which I'm sure will prove very useful against your old friends and probably even other Upper Moons_

"Your...breathing style...?"

_I told you a few days ago that you're not the only one who could use a sword_

"Impossible! You can use a breath?! A demon can't use a breath"

Shinobu swung her arm, refusing to believe that a demon is capable of using breath styles that Demon slayers uses.

_While I'm not on the same level as my master I'm more than capable of dealing with a Pillar by myself but I got bored enough to give up my old self_

"...?"

_Shinobu, you can grow stronger if you can use me correctly but you have to become a real demon_

"I will never do that! I'd rather let one of the demon slayers kill me than eat humans and kill my former allies"

_The more you remain stubborn the more you make me regret having to choose getting killed on purpose_

The demon shrouded in mystery shook its head and expressed her disappointment towards Shinobu whose deep and rooted hatred for demons keeps her from embracing her demon nature.


	7. Demon with a Blade

One week.

It's been one week ever since Shinobu keeps her hunger for human flesh at bay by feeding on demons. The only downside was that she had to cannibalize on more demons than when she eats humans. So far, the demon's voice haunting in her mind had been less annoying but still intolerable for Shinobu. After all, the non-physically existing demon made her eat humans in the first place.

_Hmm, you've gotten confident now. Did you finally got used to your demon body?_

The demon's voice spoke in a rather teasing and curious tone but Shinobu is not in any mood to entertain the voice's whims and provocations. It's already sundown and less than an hour before complete nightfall so Shinobu can freely move outside of the shade.

"You haven't been complaining when I started eating demons. Why is that?"  
_Before that bastard forced me to be stuck with you, I used to cannibalize on rare occasions_  
"Oh? So you've eaten your fellow demons in the past, huh"  
_I don't eat demons all the time but I'm picky on who I eat but when it comes to humans, girls tasted the best...according to that playful psychopath_  
"..."

Shinobu tightly clutched her sword's sheath the moment the voice mentioned about human females were her preferred choice of food. As the sun disappears and the sky darkened, Shinobu stops in her tracks.

"...?" In a distance, Shinobu hears the sound of a struggle  
_Oh. What's this curious sound?_  
"A demon might be attacking a human again. Even with the people getting killed, these humans won't stop coming"  
_You won't stop a human from getting themselves killed just as you can't stop a demon from eating people_

_Good grief, you're going to try and save that human...aren't you?_

"..."

Without a response, Shinobu pushed her foot forward and rushed to where she hears the sound of a human struggling from a growling demon.

"...!"

Just like Shinobu suspected, it is indeed a human...but a limp and unconscious man who was about to be eaten by a demon. Without a moment to lose, before the demon sinks its teeth into human flesh, Shinobu unsheathed her sword and sliced the demon in half by the torso.

"Guuaaah!"

The demon cried in pain with its torso and legs separated in a split second. Wild and furious, the legless demon lunged at Shinobu, rushing at her with its arms pushing the severed torso up into the air.

"Filthy demon..."

With little effort, Shinobu slightly moved to the side and one swing of her sword immediately severed the demon's head. Before the decapitated hate and severed body could land, it already disintegrated midair. After the demon was eliminated, Shinobu sheathed her sword and slowly approached the human.

"..."  
_That person...is already dead..._  
"His injuries were too deep. He died from his injuries..."

Shinobu wished she could have arrived earlier to save the human. Oddly enough, the demon is quiet rather than its usual talkative self. Silently mourning for the death of the lone human, Shinobu dug a grave and buried the unknown man.

_You don't even know him and you buried him? You should have left him there_  
"Even so, he deserved a proper burial rather than be left to either rot or eaten by other demons"  
_You felt sorry for some random dead guy. What kind of logic is that?_  
"I don't expect a demon like you to understand human emotions. All you do is eat people"  
_Well, I can't blame you if you want to kill me for what happened..._

The demon voice felt confused at why would Shinobu even bother burying an unknown dead man.

_Hmm? Where are you going this time?_  
"A human town..."  
_You've been a recluse and now you decided to come out in the_ _open_

_Unable to save a dead guy and you suddenly wanted to be active_...

Ignoring the demon being upset at Shinobu's decision to come out in the open despite avoiding both human and demons recently, Shinobu left her hiding in the mountain.

"You've been awfully behaved lately, demon. You haven't tried to force control"  
While I have freedom using your body, what I've experienced the last couple of weeks made me decide to be passive for the time being...

_...but I'm sure I will be forced to come out soon. Though if possible...I'd like to avoid being forced to use that_  
"Use that?"  
_Aside from Blood demon art, I rely on using the sword. I can't really remember who and why but before I became a demon...I think someone taught me to use a sword_  
"You can't remember your past, huh"  
_Not all demon can but to me it doesn't really matter. It's been two hundred years after all and I might have eaten my family..._  
"Might, huh. I'm sure you already did that"  
_Even if I had a family they'd be dead already. It's been two hundred years since then_

Due to the amount of time that passed, the demon could no longer recall its life before becoming a demon but it didn't lament. It knew that longing for something or someone that's no longer there is pointless.

_That's right. It's been two hundred years since then_  
_I could no longer remember who I was once..._  
_...but I still remembered how to fight with a sword..._  
_This fighting style is all the remained of my old self_

Existing only within Shinobu's consciousness as it lacks a body, the demon begun thinking about who "she" was once.

_Who taught me how to fight? I never taught myself when I became a demon because this knowledge already existed before_

The demon closed her eyes, a vague image of herself holding a sword briefly appeared before her. Then she heard a voice echo in the darkness...

[You're not meant to use a sword, *****]

A voice of a man angrily told her but she doesn't recognize who it didn't belonged to. She never forgot everyone she killed in her life as a demon but she somehow couldn't remember that man's voice. Though she felt immediate spite and frustration the moment she heard that voice.

_...?!_

Before she tried to reach out to where she heard the voice, she is alerted by Shinobu stopping in her tracks. The voice snapped back to reality, losing focus when she thought about her old life which she stopped doing a long time ago.

_This human town is quiet, huh_  
"Humans sleep at night while demons hunt at night. Of course it's quiet"  
_I guess I'm not used to people being silent other than being dead_

So what now? Do what you always do? Kill demons because you hate them with a passion?"  
"Obviously"

Shinobu turned to a direction, running towards it and momentarily stopped when she caught the scent of human blood. With her instincts directing her to the source, she finds a demon whose hands and mouth are covered in fresh blood. This one had just finished eating a human and is looking for more.

"...?!" The demon noticed her

Without letting the demon utter a word, Shinobu leaped towards the bloody demon and decapitate its head without hesitation. While Shinobu had been mercilessly killing other demons, whenever she swings her sword and decapitate a demon, the more she grew to enjoy to her power. She was beginning to enjoy her new demon self and it terrified her.

"To think the strength of a demon..."

Shinobu's hand shook while she held the sword, her body and mind both afraid and enjoying the superior abilities granted to her when she is reborn as a demon.

_I think I've realized something, Shinobu_

The demon interrupted Shinobu, coming to a realization itself but a different one.

_While I am also a demon, I'm not fond of other demons well except for certain demons_  
"What are you trying to say?"  
_Even if I don't like being with humans, I don't like being around other demons_

_I don't even care if demon slayers kill them and I would be more than glad to kill them_  
"What makes you say that?"  
_I don't have any interest towards humans or demons but there are rare instances where I take interest in someone. Like that tsuguko of yours_

_"..."_

_I remembered her. She was a pain to deal with because of her sharp eyes but I'm interested to see whether she could grow stronger enough for me to take her seriously_  
"Enough to take seriously?"  
_I never took a tsuguko seriously in a fight. I never even bother using my techniques since it's a waste of breath and effort_  
"Kanao may be still young but never underestimate humans"  
_I'm not always arrogant, you know. I always take a skilled swordsman seriously even if its a human. I've fought Pillars after all_

For a moment, the demon sounded like she enjoyed fighting strong swordsmen like the Pillars who are the strongest demon slayers.

"You've fought Pillars?"  
_About five of them...and all five are dead. They're a bit amusing even if they died because they're humans and one deep wound is enough to kill them_

"..."

_...but there was a sixth one but I find her a bit interesting, just a bit. Unfortunately, this isn't the right time to talk about that person_  
"Why is that?"  
_Let's just say there was no conclusion in our fight so I fled when I realized the sun is rising. I really shouldn't have wasted my time playing and talking to that person_

There's a mixed of frustration and strangeness when the demon vaguely referred to the sixth Pillar she had fought a long time ago.

"A demon and a swordswoman? Looks like I'm not the only one with a sword"

Shinobu immediately turned to her back and prepared a defensive stance when a demon who wields a sword smirked at her. For once, both Shinobu and the demon voice thought this is the type anyone would punch in the face.

"I hear there's a demon running around chopping around other demon heads off. Was it you?"  
"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not" Shinobu answered with clear hate  
"Why would a demon kill other demons? Trying play demon slayer now?"  
"Human or demon doesn't matter to me. I will slay demons as long as I exist"  
"Then someone like you shouldn't exist! A demon hunting demons?! Don't fuck with me, bitch!"

The demon short messy black hair paired with a maroon kimono quickly charged at Shinobu. Both of their swords clashed but Shinobu is taken by surprise by the demon's speed.

"You're faster than a regular demon" Shinobu admitted  
"That's because I'm Sojiro, a master of water breathing"  
"A breath user?!"  
"You got that right!"  
"Why would a breath user become a demon?"  
"Because before I could become a slayer I realized that to perfect my techniques and become superior is to become a demon. So I let myself become one!"  
_Ugh... he's going to tell his whole life story_

The demon voice groaned, clearly hating how the demon swordsman known as Sojiro begun narrating his past when Shinobu asked.

"Ever since then, I my breathing became superior to sorry-ass demon slayers. I grew stronger and it won't take long before I become one of the Upper Moon"  
_Shinobu, go kill this guy before his life story send me to the afterlife_  
"You don't have to tell me about it"

Shinobu interrupted Sojiro from further narrating his life's story and just as Shinobu swung down her sword, the demon immediately vanished from her sight. She couldn't see the demon swordsman jump up and land behind her.

Shinobu you may be strong but you're not experienced when it comes to this kind of enemy  
"I never fought a breath user before but if it's water breathing, I'm well aware of it's fighting style"

Shinobu isn't sure whether she should be angry or happy that she memorized how water breath users fight through her observation from few of Giyuu's training.

_That Water Pillar..._  
"To think watching Tomioka-san train just to make fun of his social life would come in handy"  
_I think you're worse than me.._.

Quick and fluid, the breath of water is a breathing style that requires the user to focus more on the flexibility of their movements than raw strength. What's more is that since it's the easiest breath to learn, it's a common breath among demon slayers.

"You pride yourself as someone skilled in water breathing your skills is like a child compared to the Water Pillar" Shinobu insulted him  
"I've killed a Pillar by myself before so don't fuck with me!"  
"I guess the ones you killed were weak because compared to him...you're sloppy"

Furious that someone like Shinobu is insulting his breathing and even comparing him to the Water Pillar, the demon's rage boiled and turned to murderous rage.

"I'll cut your head off and make you regret in hell!"

Sojiro starts taking Shinobu seriously and both his speed and movements greatly changed, proving he's someone who claimed to take on a Pillar in a one-on-one battle but it's never proven.

(If I don't know how water breath users move, I would have been seriously wounded by now!)

Shinobu admitted that her current opponent is powerful compared to other demons she fought and the only reason she's able to defend herself is because of her awareness about breath of water.

"Breath of water seventh form: Drop ripple thrust curve!"

With a quick thrust, Sojiro managed to pierce his sword right through Shinobu's abdomen with the fastest form when the latter isn't able to keep at his speed for a brief moment.

"Fourth form: Striking tide!"

As the wound regenerated, Shinobu quickly used her sword to defend against slashes with the user striking in a flowing fashion whoole he spins his body.

"Hahahaha! How's that? These skills are the result of me becoming a demon for one hundred years"  
"Kkh!"  
"I've devoted my whole in proving I can be worthy with the sword! Now it's all paying off!"

With a powerful thrust punch, the prideful demon swordsman sent Shinobu flying and slamming against a wall before falling on the ground.

"The old man said I don't have any worth so I sliced him in half! I may not be born with a talent but I persevered to show them even I can succeed at something! That I'm not just a waste! But none of them even saw my perseverance!"

As Shinobu is about to stand up again, gritting in anger and wanting to shove his arrogance down his throat, she froze with one knee on the ground.

_I've had enough of this talkative asshole..._

In almost an instant, Shinobu's consciousness faded again and everything became pitch black, her senses freezing. By the time she stood up, her expression and atmosphere completely different than she was a minute ago.

"...?!"

[Shinobu] drew in air, focusing on her breathing and taking a stance. This surprised Sojiro who is puzzled at her stance and sensed a drastic change in her.

"Breath of..." Shinobu sheathed her sword.  
"Like I'd let you!"

Fearing Shinobu's attack might be able to hurt him, the demon swordsman quickly rushed with the stance of the first form. He grinned believing his attack would connect but that grin turned to utter shock when Shinobu quickly drew his sword and responded with an instant slash. It was a technique meant for immediate response of any sudden attack, drawing the sword and slashing faster than the enemy could cut or stab.

"I only use this when I feel like it since I haven't learned all its forms since it has the most one compared to others breaths"  
"What kind of fucking breath is that? It's like there's damn spinning blades with one slash!" The demon is surprised his chest had been deeply cut  
"A breath that took me a long time to master but even so I'm still way behind his level"  
"That didn't answer my question!"

After regenerating his deep wound, the demon who felt unusual fear over the unknown breath became hell-bent on killing Shinobu.

"I was kicking you like dirt so how did you suddenly changed?"  
"That's because I've had enough of that mouth of yours. You sound so desperate because you want to get noticed"  
"Shut up! Eight form: Waterfall basin!"

He tried to cut her horizontally but Shinobu raised her blade and stopped his sword midway and managed to push him away.

"I have to admit, while I want to complete these forms so I could repay his efforts in teaching me"

"I guess that's why he said I should go and come back soon"  
"Stop talking nonsense-"

His loud shouting is silenced when Shinobu swung her sword and created stream of slashes that tore through his flesh and limbs without even approaching him. His arm holding the sword fell the ground, horrifying him while the rest of his body is bleeding from the open wounds. With his one hand holding his stomach so his guts won't spill out, he backed away from Shinobu whose forms were never seen before.

"Your techniques are stagnant. You stopped growing the moment you believed your strength is superior. You shouldn't really overestimate yourself" Shinobu touched the neck he wanted to wound but quickly regenerated  
"My techniques are stagnant you say?!" The demon gritted his teeth  
"Yeah. That's what I just said..."  
"I've defeated everyone who stood in my way, even a Pillar!"  
"But you're still far from being an Upper Moon. I know because what they are and how strong they are. Even Gyokko can stuff you in his pot and make an art out of a worthless shit like you"  
"Don't underestimate me just because your breath is something I've never seen before"

Sojiro doesn't understand how the woman she was overwhelming before became superior with the sword all of a sudden. He managed to slash her left shoulder but the sword didn't cut deeply when she quickly moved out the way.

"Grr!"

Frustrated, he aimed to decapitate her head but Shinobu swiftly pushed herself back, the demon swordsman Sojiro only leaving a wound which quickly healed in seconds. It's a fatal wound for normal humans but this is a battle between demons.

(This woman...! It's like I'm fighting someone else entirely!)

As he prepared to perform the sixth form of water breathing, Shinobu recognized the form he is about to use just from the slight change in his stance.

"I see. In that case - Sixth form..."

With a violent swing, Shinobu unleashed a storm of slashes in all directions when her opponent tried to cancel his next move and jump back. In an instant, he is overwhelmed from a single attack.

(This body is still not fully accustomed to this fighting style. She has to learn to move like I did)

To prevent her body from being strained too much even with a body of a demon, Shinobu followed another form. This time, the one she used a form that created layers of slash to mow down the wounded demon in front of her. She cut him clean in pieces, managing to decapitate the head in process.

"I still...I still..."

Those were his last words as his head flew and slowly disintegrated along with his body that quickly fell on the ground.

"Its been a while since I used this breath but I'm not too happy with how I still lack about four more forms. Maybe I should go back now? How am I going to explain my body to shishou though. Argh! I really want to shove my sword into that damn man's throat for tricking and using me" Shinobu mumbled to herself

With the battle that turned into a one-sided slaughter, Shinobu sheathed her sword and with a deep sigh of relief, she finally relaxed without ever hearing the demon's rants again. What she worries right now is the "complexity" of her current situation.

"The fucking asshole. I'll give him payback for tricking me like this. It's because of that son of a bitch I'm stuck inside the body of someone else. I'll definitely punish him for using me like this and I'm sure you'll feel the same amount of murderous anger once you learn about this...Shinobu"

The demon whose currently taken control over Shinobu again felt all her anger rushed in at once, a seething desire for revenge grew even more. There's no doubt she wanted serious payback to an unknown demon who caused her current situation. After more cursing and furious rumbling, she looked back at what remains of the demon swordsman known as Sojiro.

"He's not even Upper moon six level. I doubt he was even capable of killing a Pillar by himself"

She looked at where she was cut before, on her left shoulder. While the wound quickly regenerated, Shinobu felt disappointed.

"Then again, I've dealt with a Pillar before. I guess you were overwhelmed because you need to get used to your demon body and against breath users, Shinobu"

She left, disappointed at how "bland" her opponent is and only overwhelmed Shinobu due to her lack in experience against breath users and lack of training using her demon body. After the tired "Shinobu" left the area, Yushiro revealed himself from a corner, watched the entire fight while concealing all of himself save for his existence.

"A breath using demon that kills other demons? Just who is that woman...?"

Yushiro swallowed his breath, shocked to see there's actually a demon who would hunt down other demons.

"Luckily for me, she didn't see me or I might have lost my head!"

Being a non-combatant type of demon, Yushiro primarily avoids battles and his Blood demon art just happens to be perfect for him. What's more, it seems "Shinobu" didn't even suspect someone watching her fight. Fearing the unknown demon wearing a butterfly haori might come back, Yushiro used his Blood demon art again and fled the scene.


	8. Rumors of a Demon

Tomioka Giyuu the Water Pillar and Rengoku Kyoujorou the Flame Pillar sit across each other...seemingly spending time together over a cup of tea. It's ironic how the two Pillars with contradicting personalities are together, Giyuu who's always calm and stoic, and Kyoujorou who's always bright and energetic.

"Giyuu, you've heard of the rumors going around the corps, right?" Kyoujorou raised a finger

"What rumors?"

"There's a sword wielding demon killing other demons running around. No one had seen the demon's face since they always get knocked out!"

"Never heard of it..."

"Aren't you interested to see if these rumors are true?"

Kyoujorou slammed the table and almost broke it and spilled the tea but Giyuu lifted his seconds before it gets slammed.

"I'm not interested in small rumors like that. Besides, even if it's true one of us will have to kill it because it's a demon"

Giyuu is clearly uninterested unlike Kyoujorou who seemed to be curious enough to search for the demon himself.

"You don't care much, do you? Oh, I know! Let's go find the demon together!"

"No"

"Yes!"

"I said no"

"But I said yes!"

Giyuu faintly groaned while slamming his face with the palm of his hands, unable to handle the Flame Pillar's energetic and enthusiastic nature. Then again, Kyoujorou is probably the most friendly and easy to get along with Pillar unlike the violent and hostile Sanemi.

"You really want to find this demon..."

"Of course! If it's a sword wielding demon then I want to know if it's strong. I mean not all demons can hold a sword"

Kyoujorou raised his fist, his spirit firing up to the maximum, not affecting the poker-faced Giyuu. The flame Pillar yelled out his excitement while Giyuu covered his ears, wishing he would call down even for just five minutes. He's not used being around energetic types like Kyoujorou

"Besides, there's also another rumor that's connected to that demon"

"What rumor is it this time?"

"Well it's not exactly a rumor but a demon slayer was presumed dead but was seen again one week later, eating some demon slayers. He was quickly killed though"

"Demon slayers...becoming demons"

Again, Giyuu displayed little emotion and little to no interest but it didn't bother the extremely excited Kyoujorou.

"While I'm excited to find out more about this, it's alarming that demon slayers are becoming demon themselves. Just imagine if we fight a breath using demon. Talk about dangerous!"

"Demons can't use breaths unless they know how to use one as a human. That is if they still remember"

Giyuu doesn't seem worried as he believes that most demons don't retain their memories as a human so they wouldn't be able to use breath styles.

"Hopefully they don't. If we fight a demon who remembers how to use a breath, we might be the one who will lose our heads!" Kyoujorou beat his fists

"I can't believe you can say we might get killed with a smile on your face"

"I can't stop smiling and I don't know why!"

(Hopefully I don't get paired with this guy...or anyone in that matter)

Giyuu thought to himself while finishing his tea before it gets cold and while the flame Pillar continued to talk on how he wished to find and face the demon before anyone else, excited to know its capability.

**Meanwhile**

At least one hour, Tanjiro and Kanao investigated a part below the mountain where there are visible clean cuts in the trees and dried blood splattered in some areas.

"There's no doubt. These are cuts from a sword not from demon claws"

Kanao gently touches and traces the long and deep cut and using her sharp eyesight, she confirmed the cut was from a sword and not by claw scratch.

"There's also a dangerous scent in the air. It's not human... it's a demon" Tanjiro inhaled the air around him

"Then these bloodstains..."

"Demon blood. Looks like demons fought each other here. Probably a fight over prey or territory"

Tanjiro doesn't see any other reasons for demons to fight other than over who gets to eat the humans and who gets to claim a territory. It's not unusual for demons to fight against each other but Tanjiro is worried to about a demon managed to kill other demons.

"Demons can't truly kill each other. A sword was used here so a demon used a nichirin blade?" Kanao deduced

"The demon probably stole it from a demon slayer's corpse but to think a demon can even wield a nichirin blade like actual demon slayers..."

Tanjiro swallowed his breath, nervous to encounter a demon who can effectively wield a nichirin blade since he never encountered one.

"Sword using demons..."

He doesn't want to imagine how an armed demon would fight. Demons possessed inhumane speed and strength, and worse they don't easily run out of stamina so they could fight for hours without getting tired, for the strong ones at least.

"Even if the demon used a nichirin blade, it's not Master since she can't swing a sword this powerfully"

"You're right. Shinobu-san can only stab demons" Tanjiro rubbed his chin

"It's going be nightfall soon. Demons will start coming out"

Tanjiro nodded, raising his guard with every second night closes in. The moment the sun disappears, the moment demons will come out of hiding and start hunting humans again.

"It's odd how while there are other demon slayers killed here, it's said the survivors were saved and spared by someone" Kanao found it strange

"Who could it be?"

"No one remembers who it was. All they remember is they felt a stinging feeling when they tried to run away from the powerful demon. It's like they forgot what just happened to them"

Tanjiro crossed her arms, furrowing his eyebrows as he tried to come up with a logical solution to what caused the surviving team of demon slayers to immediately forgot what happened before they retreated.

"Tanjiro, do you think there's a chance that my Master could actually be alive?"

"I really don't know, Kanao. Shinobu-san died but demons are capable of a lot of things"

"It made me think of the possibility because we didn't see her body. All I found was her sword in a bloody ground. Master was already dying but she chased after the demon..."

"Kanao..."

"If she didn't tried to protect me, then she wouldn't have been mortally wounded"

Every time Kanao would think about what she believed lead to Shinobu's death, her heart twists in pain but Tanjiro, smelling guilt in Kanao, taps her shoulder and shared with a sympathetic expression.

"Shinobu-san wanted to protect you because you are her tsuguku and like a little sister to her. I think it's because Shinobu-san doesn't want to lose you the same way she lost her older sister"

"Tanjiro..."

Kanao removed the urge to cry just by hearing Tanjiro's gentle and kind voice. Being with him always gives her a warm sense of comfort, like she could feel he could always lean on him with content...but she can't open up about this feeling to Tanjiro.

"Tanjiro-"

"I smell a demon coming this way...but all I can smell is fear?"

The two stopped in their tracks and readied to unsheathe their katanas but rather than a demon lunging at them for an attack, they are both taken by surprise when a demon screaming in fear is running in a panic.

"Stay way, stay away! Aaaaah!"

The demon is then forced to stop when it saw two young demon slayers but before it could say anything, Kanao had swiftly dealt with the normal demon. Decapitating him before he could process what's happening.

"That demon was running away from something? What could have scared a demon?"

Tanjiro approached where the demon had fell and disintegrated, worried what could have scared a demon for it to run in a panic like that.

"The scent where the demon came from is the same one where we found those slashes. Should we check it out?" Tanjiro asked

"Let's who it is. It could be the demon who caused those clean slashes" Kanao tightened her grip on her sword

"Alright. Let's try to know who was after the demon"

Tanjiro leads the way by heading towards the trail of the dangerous scent he sensed earlier. As they grew closer to the close of the scent, Kanao is forced to push Tanjiro away and swing her sword and slice the boulder thrown at them.

"Demon...slayers. Meat!"

Drooling with hunger for human flesh, the muscular demon ripped off a piece of the the earth and hurled it at them. The two young demon slayers dodged, being while while the demon is slow.

"Need meat! Need human flesh...to get stronger!"

In unison, the two in opposite directions, sliced off the demon's arm and disabled him from throwing large objects at them.

"Kanao!"

Tanjiro aimed for the right leg and upon cutting it, the demon is forced to kneel down and focus on regenerating his lost arms and right leg but of course they wouldn't wait for that. Kanao cut through the demon's and send the severed head flying.

"This isn't the demon who caused the cuts and made the other demon run"

Tanjiro clicked his tongue as the one they had just killed was a different one. This one isn't certainly capable of wielding as sword as shown when it could only use it's enhanced arm strength to lift and throw heavy objects at high speed.

"Something else is mixing in with the scent here. It's like the demon knew we were tracking it by scent" Tanjiro speculated

"It must have run away knowing we were after it. Anyway, we should-"

This time, Tanjiro pushed Kanao away when a scent of another demon and bloodlust is heading towards them. He blocked the incoming slash with his sword, the growling demon sliding a few meters when his attacks failed to slice his supposed victims.

"Grr...demon slayers...so annoying..."

The demon wielded a sword but while it can talk, it lacks enough intelligence to speak in full sentence. He salivated, seeing not just demon slayers but two young and fresh meal for the taking if he can take them down.

"Human flesh! Need...to eat...humans!"

Driven almost mad but hunger, the sword wielding demon aimed for the two demon slayers. It's swings are powerful and it's movements is quick and agile but it couldn't use a technique due to half of its sanity being impaired.

"Can't think straight! Need food!"

Right now, the demon is being driven for his desire to eat and aware that he needs to food to regain the sanity he lost while currently starving.

"Tanjiro, is this the demon?!"

Kanao struggles to block fast and powerful swings even if they are sloppy. The demon lack intelligence to use a technique but his strength isn't impaired. Before Kanao's sword could reach his neck, the demon quickly jumped back much to her surprise.

"No! This one uses a sword but he has a different sword. Besides, his scent is not that dangerous compared to who we're looking for"

Tanjiro shouted while he is disappointed that the demon they are facing is not the same one they're looking for. Even if they have the wrong demon, this one is much stronger than the muscular demon before.

(This demon is fast even if he is a bit insane! Perhaps he's a bit stronger than the one in Mt. Natagumo. In that case I have to use the Dance of the Fire God)

Tanjiro prepares a stance for his Dance of the Fire God but the demon seeing the change in stance, quickly targeted Tanjiro who noticed the sudden shift of attention.

"Damn-"

Tanjiro managed to parry the swing and slice the arm not holding the sword. Even with one body part severed, this didn't stop the demon to try for another attack.

(A thrust!)

He dodged his head to the right when he predicted the incoming thrust and countered with an upper slash, slicing his face including his eye.

"Argh!"

Unfortunately this only made the demon angrier and when Kanao goes to his rescue, the demon sent her flying with a powerful side kick, her body slamming on the tree.

"Human...Die already...!"

The demon with his recently regenerated arm ran towards Kanao. Tanjiro, not allowing the demon to lay a hand on Kanao, slashed his back. Just as the demon turned around, Tanjiro swung for the neck, but...

"Not...gonna die..."

Even by using both of his arms at full strength, the demon stopped the swing midway by using his sword.

"Humans!"

Furiously screaming, the demon pushed both Tanjiro's sword and Tanjiro himself, slashing Tanjiro's shoulder and with a powerful kick to the side, not only he broke two of Tanjiro's ribs, he also sent him flying.

(These demon just grew faster? He read my attack and reacted faster than before!)

Tanjiro jumped away when the demon charged with a powerful slash, chopping the tree behind him in half.

"...?!"

The demon, faster than before, grabbed Tanjiro's head and slammed him against the ground and sent him flying like tossing a ragdoll.

"Tanjiro-!"

Kanao, who managed to stand back up, rushes to Tanjiro's aid but when her eyes made contact with the demon eyes whose sclera had turned red, she momentarily froze on one place.

"Blood demon art-?!"

Kanao realized the demon had been using his Blood demon art but even if it only made her body freeze for about two seconds, this gave the demon enough time to get close enough for a heavy swing.

"...?!"

The demon, prepared to slice the young girl in half raised his sword, but he backed away when his blood demon art enhanced eyes, saw someone running at high speed. Unfortunately, his eyesight isn't enough for him to dodge the violent whirlwind that passed between him and Kanao. The dash of powerful wind immediately severed both of his arms.

"Annoying!"

The demon exclaimed as it used its foot to toss the fallen sword upwards and hold by biting it tightly. As if a violent gust, a single swing is all it took to severe his torso.

"Mas...ter...?"

Right before her sharp eyes, Kanao, without a doubt, saw Shinobu swing a sword in the air. Even before Shinobu turned to face her, she recognized the hair pin and butterfly haori. She is certain the one who had just saved her was her master.

"Oh? It is indeed Shinobu's tsuguko. I thought it was someone else for a moment. I guess my eyes don't work well when I let Shinobu in control most of the time"

With a pair of demon eyes and sharp fangs, the "demon" faced Kanao and recognized her in an indifferent and slightly unhappy tone.

"Good thing I came back rather than ditch this place"

"Master...?" Kanao felt like she's going to cry

"Hmm?"

The demon possessing Shinobu managed to get closer to Kanao since the going tsuguko thought the one who approached her was the former Insect Pillar.

"Kochou Shinobu is dead. The one before you...is a demon in a dead person's body" The unknown demon leaned closer

As she whispered those words to Kanao's ear, the latter quickly jumped back, alarmed at those words.

"Mas...ter...?" Confused, Kanao isn't sure whether to raise her sword against her former mentor

"Sorry, but I'm not Shinobu right now"

With a devious smile, the possessing demon touched the tip of the katana and pulled back her arm. A swift and instantly thrust near to Kanao's shoulder followed afterwards.

"...?!"

"Let me use your Blood demon art on this one, Shinobu. It's useful for a lot of things since mine is only good for killing people"

Using the poison-laced blade, "Shinobu" injecting a non-lethal neurotoxin which has the same effect of a tranquilizer but the effect kicks in quicker, immediately incapacitating Kanao. The tsuguko immediately collapsed but it didn't knock her out and paralyzed her body first.

"You...who are you...?"

Kanao, whose body had grown numb and desperately fighting to prevent herself going unconscious, asked the demon right before her.

"Me? I'm just a demon...using someone else's body"

"...?!"

"My name wouldn't matter because her poison can give you short term memory loss. You won't die from the poison, you just wouldn't remember I was here"

"What have you...done...to my Master...?"

Before Kanao could no longer slow the poison with her breathing, she asked one more thing to the demon.

"I could ask the same thing for myself. That son of a bitch tricking me like this..."

The demon almost sheathed her sword but swung it one last time when the other sword wielding demon regenerated and leaped at Shinobu. This time, the demon immediately decapitated him, reacting faster than he could.

"Sorry but as much I hate you for that one time, Shinobu wouldn't want you to die and I can't have you find out yet even though I have no problem showing myself"

The bodiless demon stated she hated Kanao and only saved her for Shinobu's sake. Oddly enough, she respected Shinobu's wish to stay "dead" in everyone's eyes. She has her own personal reasons but it's still currently unknown. The demon using Shinobu's body is someone who can be both an enemy and an ally at the same time.

"Just what-"

Tanjiro regained consciousness, rubbing the back of his head when the demon knocked him out when his head struck a large tree. If it was his steel-like forehead, he would have remained conscious.

"...?!"

Even if he quickly regained consciousness, Tanjiro is knocked out again when he is struck in the head from behind by the pommel of Shinobu's sword.

"Who knew poison can also be used against your sense of smell. Then again you just woke up"

The unknown demon sighed in relief as she knocked out both Tanjiro and Kanao.

"Hmm...I guess I couldn't leave them here"

She already planned to leave but thought about the two unconscious demon slayers. Normally, she would leave the two but since there are demons deep within the forest and it will take them a while to regain consciousness, the demon sheathed her sword.

"I'm the one in control but I'm listening to her whims. I'm also the stronger one..."

While muttering her complaints, the demon carried the two like luggages in each arm and left the area. The demon currently in control left the two somewhere outside the forest where they could regain consciousness without a problem.

"What was I doing before? Oh right, I'm trying to adjust this body to my fighting style"

Remembering her earlier activity before she went to save Kanao, the demon swung her arm, practicing how to fight like she used to with Shinobu's body.

"I have to practice being accustomed with this body or my skills will rust in time. I still have that son of a both of a doctor to chop in pieces. He's seriously going to pay for this messed up joke"

The demon, furious about being stuck in someone else's, thought of revenge more than anything against the culprit who is an unknown doctor.

"I can't kill him but I can certainly slice him in half!"

She's usually calm but whenever thinking about the culprit, she quickly loses her temper. As a means to vent out her frustration, she sliced the nearest tree.

"It may not be my choice at first to be in this body but I'm starting to get used to Shinobu. Ha...hahahaha! Being with this girl is starting to influence me. The girl who refused to abandon her humanity is actually getting to me"

The moment she realized that Shinobu, who retained her old self despite becoming a demon, is actually the one influencing the bodiless demon rather than the demon itself influencing Shinobu.

"I can't believe this but this isn't so bad. After two hundred years, I'm actually enjoying myself...with a human. I wonder what will become with the two of us. I'm sure _shishou_ will be angry if he sees me like this"

Rather than be worried that Shinobu's humanity will change the demon's nature, she's just entertained just being with Shinobu. She is oddly enjoying herself being bound in the body of someone who should have died.

"Now I don't feel like going back. I think I'll have fun for a little while. Who knows? There might be some interesting changes..."

She laughed at the thought of entertaining herself by doing as she please and discarded the thought of "going back" to her mentor. Of course she wouldn't let Shinobu know that she had "softened up" and became intrigued towards what's happening to her.


	9. Desire for Retribution

Due to Shinobu actively hunting other demons in her current area, she decides to rest for the night since the more she expands her energy, the faster she will starve.

"You've become less annoying recently. What's gotten into you?"

Shinobu curiously asked the demon she has no choice but to exist because for an unknown reason, it was bound to her body. The demon had done nothing but taunt her and persuade her into eating humans but these past few days, the voice had behaved.

_Nothing in particular..._

"Are you angry that you saved Kanao even if you almost lost your head to her before?"

_You asked me to save her..._

"But oddly enough, you listened to my request"

The demon couldn't explain to why despite being in control three days ago, it listened to Shinobu's request and saved the two without harming them.

"It doesn't really matter. As long as you're not being annoying, I wouldn't care about your reason"

Cold as always to me, huh. It just shows how being a demon only made you hate demons even more

"I never asked to be a demon. I never asked to be a man-eating monster that killed my family"

_Still with the immense hatred, huh. I wish you'd calm down even for just five minutes. You're always angry_

Shinobu wipes the clean colorless blade, speaking out her hatred towards demons and becoming one herself. The disembodied voice had gotten used to Shinobu's deep and rooted hatred but it wished she would say something other than hating her own existence.

"You're the one to talk. You've been angry recently as well. I'm not sure why but I can sense you're angry since you're inside my head"

_I'm angry at the crazy demon doctor who forced me to merge with you_

"A crazy demon doctor?"

_One of that man's demon pets. He is a demon doctor who uses corpses like his playthings, yours included_

"So this doctor is the reason I'm like this know?"

_Correct. While you were on the verge of death and me weakened from having to deal with three Pillars at once...he used the opportunity and tricked me_

The demon gritted its teeth, fangs laid bare and seething with immense anger. It's no doubt that this demon desired revenge against another demon.

_He transplanted both my blood and some of my parts into your dying body_

"...?!"

_Surely you should remember since you were still conscious while you were dying..._

Shinobu widened her eyes, having a vague recollection of the events which lead to her supposed death. She was dying from her mortal wounds and blood loss, her body motionless on the ground and her consciousness fading away.

[The Insect Pillar. She will do...she will do...and I can use that brat since she's weakened now...]

Before Shinobu's consciousness slips away, she heard a faint voice laughing in amusement and someone else choking and mumbling incoherent but furious sounding words.

_He basically transplanted me into you which is why you became a demon and me becoming this. A demon with no body but just a voice inside someone_

"Where is this demon now?"

Shinobu's anger seethed much more than the demon itself. If the unknown demon doctor is the cause of her body turning into a demon then it's only natural she would see revenge for her cursed life.

"I would like to give him a piece of my mind"

_Like the hell I know! I want to find him too for some damn payback but he does nothing but hide!_

"I see. Then it seems both of us wants revenge. You for losing your body and me for losing my humanity"

Shinobu sat back down but she still remained furious and seeking revenge against the one responsible for "bringing her back from the dead".

_Hahahaha. Would you look at that? For once we both have the same thing in mind_

"..."

Shinobu, that asshole experimented on demon slayer corpses. Before we could get him, we have to fight people like you. Demon slayers that have been turned into demons. You're going to fight swordsmen with demon abilities

The demon within Shinobu warned her about the kind of opponents they're going to face in the future.

_You're a new demon while I'm already two hundred years old. You're only strong because we're basically merged but you're weak right now since you won't eat humans_

"I will never eat humans again"

_I know that, okay? What I'm trying to say is if you want payback then you better learn to co-exist with me_

"..." Shinobu is clearly skeptical

_You can't even fight a normal demon swordsman by yourself! I'm the one who whooped his ass_

Shinobu clenched her fists since what the demon said is true. She can't handle the likes of demon swordsman by herself since she lacks arm strength when she was human. Fortunately for her, the demon merged with her is someone who is capable of using breaths.

_Then at least learn to use me properly. I don't want to be the one to always take over just to save your ass. Save yourself for once, damn it!_

"..." Shinobu grunted

_Besides, I don't want to be the one to save your tsuguko next time. That kid is still making me angry just by existing. I almost lost my head to her while I was dealing with the Flame Pillar and Sound Pillar_

"..."

_Also you have to face her and those other brats sooner or later. That boy with a good nose will figure your out by your scent and the Love Pillar already saw you_

"I can't let them see me like this...a demon, especially Kanao..."

Shinobu is afraid to reveal herself because she was once a demon slayer and seeing a former Pillar become one of the demons is close to a form of betrayal to the corps.

_I'm going to tell you this in advance. I'm not going to die by some demon slayer until I give that shitty doctor my payback and..._

"And what?"

_To know what the dreams I'm seeing lately mean. There was light, there was warmth, and there was someone. I was under the sun...and I was happy with someone_

"You said you don't remember your human life?"

_I don't. These images just pop out in my dreams. Just a fleeting dream..._

The demon, still bound within Shinobu's subconsciousness, stood in the pitch black darkness. It was a girl no older than a fifteen year old by her physical age dressed in a kimono mixed with a western skirt. Right before her is a peaceful and green scenery. A mirror image of herself stood right before her, silently and blankly staring at her.

_I wonder...was that me when I was human...?_

The demon thought to herself while Shinobu observed her silence. Ever since gaining fragments of her past, the demon had been less active and only acts when she is needed.

"You're quiet again-"

Shinobu sensed a dreadful presence, the weight of it is enormous. It belonged to a demon of unknown strength but to her every demon is a enemy.

"...?!"

Before she could grab her sword, her whole body froze, the demon inside her restraining her every movement.

"What are you doing?!"

_Ah. He actually came..._

"...!"

In that instant, the demon overtook Shinobu again who briefly struggled but the demon forcibly put her out of control. With Shinobu incapacitated for now, the demon takes one deep sigh and calmly walked out.

"I never thought you'd actually pay a visit, shishou"

A demon in a dark purple kimono and six eyes crossed his arms as he ominously looked at the demon inhabiting the body of a former Pillar.

"So that's your current form. You don't seem upset with it...Akane" The demon narrowed his eyes

"I've gotten used to it and this girl is actually entertaining me"

The demon, whose name is Akane, faintly smiled at the demon whose presence can drain hope in an any swordsman.

"You're not getting soft on that vessel, are you?"

"Of course not. I have no choice but to get used to it since I'm stuck with her for the rest of my life. I'm surprised you're actually worried, Kokushibo-san"

Kokushibo examined Akane's current body but didn't speak out on what he thinks of his student's current status.

"I mean I thought you said I'm on my own now since I have to learn to be stronger by myself like the others before me"

"..."

"Are you upset that I didn't lose my head? That instead I'm stuck like this?"

"..."

"It can't be helped. I didn't choose to be stuck like this. That's why I want pay back to the geezer"

Her expression darkened when she expressed her desire for revenge for her current situation.

"That man didn't give you permission to kill the culprit"

"I know...but I want to slice up over and over again. I just really hated being tricked, shishou"

"You allowed yourself to be vulnerable"

Kokushibo is rather frank and harsh but Akane is aware of his attitude towards other demon swordsmen whom he allowed to be students.

"Akane, you can never rise to the ranks of an Upper Moon with a stubborn vessel like that. You're allowing her to be the in control"

Clearly upset, Kokushibo pointed and raised his voice for a moment. Aware of that fact, Akane looked away, angry for being reminded.

"Do not let a mere human overpower you or that body will influence your very being"

"..."

"You will lose yourself to that human. Do not ever let that happen"

"I know, I know. I won't let this girl do as she pleases all the time"

Slightly annoyed, Akane grunted since she felt like Kokushibo is saying that she will lose to a human when it comes to control over the body.

"Besides, I won't let a former Pillar influence me. This girl has deep anger issues"

"Make sure of that"

"Wait, shishou"

"What?"

"Where is the asshole going to be tomorrow night?"

"Hmph. You really want payback, huh"

Kokushibo sighed as the demon merged with a former Pillar demanded an answer, really seeking revenge.

"He's residing in Mt. Kashina. You'll find him there exposed"

Without anything else to say, Kokushibo immediately left the demon bound within a former Pillar. After the short visit had ended, Akane returned to being passive and as soon as Shinobu regained consciousness, she gasped for air and fell one knee.

"That demon..."

Shinobu clutched her chest as she felt the tremendous aura Kokushibo is emitting, a heavy pressure that could crush any weak-willed man.

"His pressure in unbelievable"

That's because he's an Upper Moon and the demon who kind of adopted me. Rather, forced to adopt me

"Adopted?"

It's a long story but during my early months as a demon, I was killing normal demon slayers when he found me. My mind back was like a lost child so I started following him like an idiot. Damn those were embarrassing times

Akane casually explains a bit of her past with Kokushibo whom she met by chance.

I was like an annoying kid and no matter how many times he told me to go away, I never left...until he finally had it and gave up and allowed me to follow him. I was still annoying him before I got stuck with you

After the short explanation, the pressure Shinobu felt hasn't fade away. It was because it was the first time she encountered with an absurd amount of strength just by the pressure it emitted. Akane is no longer fazed by it as she had followed Kokushibo for so long.

I'm no longer following him since he said I'm on my own now. That I need to develop my techniques further by myself like he did-

Akane stopped talking when she noticed Shinobu hasn't fully recovered from the brief r counter.

I can't blame you if you're like that. He has the highest rank for a reason. A level I could never reach

Sighing, the demon let Shinobu be to recover from the encounter earlier since her body is still shaking.

**The following night**

In a normal mission by himself. Giyuu, as usual, swiftly eliminates the demons around him with his fluid Water breathing. Though it frustrates him that no matter how many be eliminates at once, the number refuses to dwindle.

"Where are these demons coming from? Maybe these are copies of the real one"

Giyuu thought since what he's looking at is neither human or demon, just abominations that will strike anything that moves.

"Usha!"

Interrupting the battle, the the Flame Pillar made his entrance by appearing out of nowhere, jumping down from the sky. While presence of another Pillar is relieving, Giyuu doesn't look to amused with his arrival. He usually performs his mission by himself and will only team up with others if needed or ordered.

"The Flame Pillar has arrived!"

Clearing grotesque and twisted looking demons, Rengoku Kyoujoru's fiery sword cut down the fleshy puppets with little effort. What he cut down could hardly be called a demon as they were like mass of flesh clumped together and moving in complete agony.

"How are you doing, Tomioka?"

"Fine...until you came"

"Don't be like that. I'm helping you out" Kyoujuro laughed

"..."

"You were having a hard time. Luckily, I was nearby trying to find clues about the demon we talked about the other day"

With an energetic expression, the Flame Pillar swung his sword left and right, his fiery fighting spirit cutting down every demon that gets in his range.

"These things are just puppets! Where is the real demon?"

"Probably in that direction. When I try to head there, they immediately react"

Giyuu pointed in the north and without a second thought, Kyoujuro head towards that direction. Like Giyuu said, the demon puppets would immediately react to try and stop him.

"We have no time to lose. These puppets will just waste our time while the demon will get away!"

With a brief sigh, the two Pillars teamed up to clear the demons who all tried to stop them but resulted in failure. Giyuu is being stalled by the demon puppets with the arrival of Kyoujuro, they are able to plow down the horde of flesh puppets.

"...!"

The demon, sensing the two Pillars cleaving through its puppet with ease, begun retreating.

"You will not get away, evil demon!"

When Kyoujuro declared, he leaped forward and prepare to have his blade connect to the neck but...

"What?!"

In a desperate attempt to save itself, the demon created a copy which was immediately killed the flame Pillar. The demon may be inferior in direct combat but it boasts its speed and cloning ability. Through its flesh, a grotesque copy emerged like a tumor that has sprouted and immediately ripped off from the main body.

"Two Pillars! Why does it have to be two Pillars?!"

The demon molded its body, changing its form to humanoid and skinny beast with elongated arms and legs. It discarded its human form and switched to a monstrous form with exposed muscles and an animal skull-like head.

"I won't die! I won't die!"

Escaping is the only thing the demon knows but against two Pillars, it pushed its instinct to flee and survive to the limit that desperation overtook.

"I'm going after the demon!"  
"Tomioka?!"

Giyuu left the remaining puppets in Kyoujuro's care as despite the numbers, the puppets are only as strong as a regular demon. The demon lacked strength but its speed is troublesome for Giyuu whose attention is fixated on decapitating it.

"Just give up, demon. I will have your head in the end!"

Giyuu declared as he jumped and tried to slash the demon but created four more copies out of itself.

"Third form: Flowing dance"

The way Giyuu side stepped and twirled as he swings his blade when the copies attacked all at once mimicked the flow of surface waves. With one attack, all four copies were quickly eliminated. While it only stalled Giyuu for at least a minute, the demon managed to gain some distance from the persistent Water Pillar.

"When I said you're not getting away, I really mean you're not getting away"

Still, Giyuu managed to pursue the demon who is beginning to exhaust itself from creating copies of itself. The more it molds new copies, the more its strength is being quickly drained and this allowed Giyuu to quickly catch up to the demon.

"Just lay down there as I cut off your head, evil demon"

The demon fell on the ground, whimpering as Giyuu slowly draws close to him, tired of demons running away when they will all die by his blade in the end.

"...?" Giyuu raised his sword but he looked above  
"...!" The demon stood up and prepares to flee again

Both the demon and Giyuu looked up when a figure struck from above, swiftly cutting off the demon's right leg, causing him to stumble and his face smashing to the ground.

"It burns! What kind of slash was that?!" The demon writhed in agony

"That...is my payback, Hirokuma...you asshole"

Giyuu blinked in confusion as a girl in a kimono wearing animal mask with a familiar looking haori stood between him and the demon.

(Why do I feel something familiar?)

Even if Giyuu can only see her back, he felt an odd familiarity in the girl with an unknown sword.

"Y-y-you...! You found me"

"I promised to not kill you in exchange for your whereabouts"

"You're angry..." The demon backed away

"Of course I'm angry. You fused my blood and flesh with a human and now I'm stuck with her!"

Clearly furious and filled with killing intent, the girl with a mask slowly approached him with her sword itching to slice him everywhere but the neck.

"I'm not amused when you waited for me to be weakened enough back then. You used that opportunity and tricked me"

"Kkh! Like I'll be scared by someone like you!"

The demon's fear turned into a fighting instinct, spikes growing at his spine and his claws growing in size.

"Don't overestimate yourself, brat!"

The deformed demon lunged with fangs and claws laid bare but despite her current body, she hasn't forgotten to fight.

"I may not be as strong as an Upper Moon right now but you're forgetting who taught me how to fight!" She quickly jumped over him

"...!"

"It'd be a waste to use his technique on you so I'll use what I've been using before I met him"

While the girl clashed with the demon, Giyuu is unsure whether he should interrupt and fight them. He couldn't decide when the unknown girl appeared out of nowhere.

"Breath of the wind..."

"...?!" The demon realize what is about to happen

"Third form: Claws-purifying wind!"

The girl lifted her sword above her head and slashed vertically creating four wind blades that slashed like claws.

"I haven't forgotten how to use this breath"

"Hahaha! But you certainly have forgotten who taught you that!"

The girl lowered her guard when the demon hinted something about her past and this moment of vulnerability gave the demon enough time to charge and attempt to shred her with his claws.

"...!"

To the girl's surprise, Giyuu jumped in and slashed his arm and chest, forcing the demon Hirokuma to jump back instantly. His weakened body was quickly cut open, blood profusely spilled out.

"You..."

While the severed arm heals, the demon lunged with his other arm but the girl pushed the spaced out Giyuu and blocked his slash with her blade. Giyuu shakes his head since he lost his whole attention when he sensed familiarity with the unknown masked girl.

"You damn child!"

She kicked the girl away and blinded by rage, the demon Hirokuma switched his target to Giyuu. Faster than he was a minute before, the towering demon smacked away Giyuu who got distracted again, but the girl caught him before he could slam to a tree.

"To think you'd be distracted in the middle of a battle. This isn't like you...Tomioka-san"

"...?"

The demon disappeared the moment he threw Giyuu and the girl catching him, using the few seconds of distraction to escape from their sights.

"You know my name?"

"There's no way I'd forget it..."

Unlike while she was fighting, the girl's speech pattern and tone visibly changed and she spoke to Giyuu in a familiar and somewhat sorrowful tone.

"It was nice seeing you again. Really..."

Those were the girl's only words before she leaves to chase after the demon who shouldn't have gotten far away after expanding its energy.

"Again?"

Usually, Giyuu would either be suspicious or callous towards anyone but his instincts were calm from the moment he looked at the girl with a familiar looking haori. He blinked again, confused to what the girl meant by "again".

"Tomioka, I have arrived! Where's the demon!" The Flame Pillar shouted, his uniform covered in demon blood

"...he threw me against a tree and escaped..." Giyuu lied

"Are you hurt?"

Kyoujuro reached out his hand and Giyuu accepted, helping the Water Pillar stand up again.

"I just broke a few bones in my leg. I couldn't go after him" Giyuu lied again

"It's fine. It's better than losing your whole leg!"

Giyuu massaged his leg and sighed, unable to inform his fellow Pillar that a certain someone had interrupted the fight and chased after the demon be was fighting with Kyoujuro.

"Have I met her before?" Giyuu muttered to himself

"What was that?"

"Nothing..."

Giyuu shakes his head, trying to forget about the familiar-looking girl who sort of saved him and spoke as if they knew each other. He doesn't even know if she was a human or demon since she used a sword and can use Breath of the Wind.


	10. Mysterious Butterfly

A demon merged with a former Pillar or a former Pillar merged with a demon. It's difficult to know which is which with how the two separate consciousness argue and converse with each other. While Shinobu begins to tolerate the demon, she still finds it difficult to co-exist with Akane. Even if the demon had been behaved lately, Shinobu never let her guard down not even once.

_You know, you can't always rely on me to kill demons you can't kill_

While Shinobu peacefully gazed at the starry night, the demon known as Akane decided to speak. Shinobu didn't respond and simply frowned, certainly not in the mood for that topic. Well, she's never in the mood with the demon, who hasn't harmed anyone lately, still finds a way to annoy Shinobu.

"That topic again..."

_Look, I saved the Water Pillar because you kept bothering me. I may tolerate being stuck with you but I don't like saving the life of another Pillar_

"Then why did you save Tomioka-san? You could have refused but you still saved him"

Shinobu crossed her arms, pointing the obvious flaw, making Akane fall in silence.

_It was out of a whim and I don't know why. Your human level of impulsiveness is getting to me...and it's annoying! You can't just keep asking to save anyone you know, especially demon slayers!_

The demon Akane complained, frustrated at how a demon like her finds herself saving her natural enemy because the former Pillar Shinobu insisted.

_Next time you want to save someone, go do it yourself. I'm not even supposed to save demon slayers!_

"Then don't save them and complain that you have to save them"

Shinobu would want to hit the demon if she isn't sharing the same body with Akane whom she had heard nothing but complain ever since the brief encounter with Giyuu.

"Besides, we both wanted payback for whoever made us stuck together"

_Oh yeah. The shitty geezer who used both of us because he felt like it_

"You're the one who knew him? Can't you find him?"

_No. He had done nothing but hide and even fled before we could reach the mountain. Sneaky bastard!_

"You're quite useless outside of killing demons..."

_Speak for yourself! You don't even try learning other breath even if you hang out with other Pillars on their training"_

"..." Shinobu felt annoyed

_You all have the time in the world so why don't you try learning one yourself. Even one form would help!_

The demon yelled, frustrated that Shinobu hasn't done anything to be capable of using breaths even if she can use one since she was a demon slayer.

_When we fought that water breath user demon, you already memorized the breath he used but couldn't counter attack properly. It's like you knew how the body moves with every form_

"...I tried as a human. Is that what you're trying to say?"

_Did you?_

"What if I did?"

_Then go fucking practice it! Even as a demon, you can still use breaths so long as you knew one as a human! You have more than enough physical strength as a demon now_

Shinobu didn't respond, unknown if she is planning to learning the breath she is most familiar with other than her own. Since Shinobu has the strength of a demon now and tried practicing another breath before, the demon saw now excuse to rely on her all the time. Akane finds it irritating she has to save demon slayers when Shinobu can do it on her own if she just tried to learn how to fight by herself.

_By the way, were you and the mismatched haori guy really close?_

"...?"

_I mean not only you tried practicing his breath, you sounded like you missed him very much when you met him again_

"Don't push it, demon"

Shinobu refused to confirm nor deny about her relationship with the Water Pillar who she likes to tease all the time.

_Okay then..._

The silence returned but not before the demon almost laughed at how obvious it is even if Shinobu didn't answer her questions.

_Shinobu should start learning how to fight for herself because I might not always be there to save you..._

The demon thought to herself while her own consciousness remained bound. Since she no longer has a body and had to be mostly dependent to Shinobu in order to continue existing. Realizing she actually thought of those words, the demon Akane wondered why she said that.

_It sounded like I care for her...?_

Akane shook her head, shocked that she actually thought of Shinobu's safety first. While she is forced to co-exist with Shinobu, she doesn't like on some occasions the Former Pillar for refusing to eat humans and kept defending humans instead.

_What the hell is happening to me? Caring about this annoying girl all of a sudden..._

For a brief moment, she caught a glimpse of an unknown memory from an unknown time.

_You don't have to wield a sword like me_

_Live a normal life_

_Find happiness like any other normal person_

_You are still young and you still have many dreams_

_That's why you don't have to die young_

Akane shakes her head when someone she couldn't recognize pets her head gently and gave her a sincere smile.

_The longer I am with Shinobu the more I keep hearing and seeing these things_

Akane bit her lip, unsure whether remembering unknown memories is a good sign or not as a result of her merging with Shinobu.

_I don't want to think there will be a day where the both of us will become lost into an entirely completely different person..._

There is a risk of two consciousness sharing the same body and Akane feared that the two consciousness will be "lost" into one. When that happens, it would be similar to permanently disappearing.

One night later

Shinobu travelled to another when she, as a demon, is alerted about people who seemingly have died only to rise up again and immediately feed on everyone they see.

"There's the faint smell of human blood. Someone's preying on humans tonight"

Shinobu detected the faint of human blood lingering in the air, knowing a demon is currently out hunting and feeding humans.

"...?!"

Attracted by the scent of fresh human blood, Shinobu widened her demon eyes at the sight of a demon slayer feeding on a civilian. What she sees in front of her is indeed a boy in a demon slayer uniform but a demon himself. She hesitated to draw her sword, conflicted on whether she should cut down a demon slayer who had become a demon.

"...?!"

Since Shinobu froze, she is unable to act and the feral demon lunged at her, knocking her sword off from her hands.

(Damn it!)

Shinobu swore to continue kill demons and not harm her former allies but the current situation is extremely conflicting. The wild demon bit her arm but she pushed him away.

"Grrrraaaggghh!"

Despite being clear that there isn't a speck of humanity or sanity left in the demon boy, Shinobu still refused to cut down her current enemy and threw him against a wall when leaped at her.

_Shinobu, fight before he bites your arm off!_

"I...can't..."

_Then I'll just have to-_

"No! Don't you dare try to overtake this time, demon!"

Shinobu doesn't want Akane to interfere and finish off the feral demon, the latter had no choice but to stay quiet. She wants Shinobu to be independent when fighting but she couldn't stand seeing her refuse to fight to badly like when she was chased by the Love Pillar.

"Tch..." Shinobu picked up the sword she dropped

The demon flipped itself back up after being thrown again but his charge is stopped when Shinobu closed her eyes and swung her blade decapitating the demon.

"Guah!"

The demon immediately fell before its claws could reach Shinobu and disintegrated shortly after.

_You actually killed it..._

"A demon is a demon..."

In the end, Shinobu knew that demon had to be put down before it killed more if she allowed it to live. She quietly looked down at where the demon fell and closed her eyes for a moment.

"A demon who once hunted demons as a demon slayer. It's a fate worse than death..."

_Demons were once humans...and there's no turning them back once they become one_

Akane can't sympathize with Shinobu but she understood that once someone becomes a demon, it's too late for them.

_You'll be facing more demons like these. You should start preparing your heart to put them down..._

"I know that"

Shinobu sheathed her blade and turned away from the scene but at that moment, she stopped and looked behind. Her hand immediately reached for the hilt and prepared to draw her sword.

_What's wrong?_

"I thought someone else was there. It's actually...nothing"

Shinobu loosened herself and went on her way, exploring more of the town while it's still night. Walking to a dark and empty street, Shinobu stopped for a moment and looked at the sword on the side of her waist.

_What's wrong this time?_

"I've just thought of something but it's not important"

Shinobu shakes her head and discarded whatever thought she had and went on her way again.

_Is it about the demon boy earlier? Does it bother you that much?_

"Of course it does. I'm also in the same situation"

_Except you didn't lose your sanity and you're stuck with a demon inside your head..._

Akane can agree to that but there's a difference since Shinobu isn't a mindless demon. She retained both of her sanity and memories as a humans which are only present on some demons.

"Instead of just letting me die, I've become the very thing that killed my family..."

_..._

"I want to die but this anger for being turned into a demon is pushing me to live"

Shinobu clenched her fists, completely furious about her current status as a deceased Pillar and a living demon.

"I can't even show my face to anyone. I don't want to see me like this..."

_You keep running away. You kept on running without even progressing_

"...?"

_Shinobu, if you choose to keep running away then you won't get anywhere, just a deadend_

"You want me to reveal myself?"

_You wouldn't know if your tsuguko or your other allies will understand unless you face them. You'll keep living in the fear of uncertainty._

"..."

_So long as you keep running and hiding from the reality that you're a demon now, you will always love with a heart polluted by doubts and fears_

"You..."

_Long story short, you're bound to face the reality that you're a dead as a Pillar and you're a demon now since you will keep running in with your old allies_

To Shinobu's surprise, the demon actually said something useful and not a sarcastic remark or another taunting. This is the first time she heard the demon speak solemnly and sincerely.

"You actually said something useful...for an annoying demon"

_Hey! At least be a little thankful I'm trying to get you out of that sorry state!_

"..." Shinobu giggled

_Look, I can't stand you being scared of what will happen but like I said you will always live in the fear of uncertainty without ever progressing if you keep this up_

"So you're saying I should stop hiding and face them because I will always be scared of what will happen if I keep hiding?"

Yes...!

_You're probably right. Probably..._

Shinobu smiled since the demon Akane made a point about facing the inevitable than hide from it in fear. Shinobu knew to herself that Kanao and the others are bound to figure out since they will recognize it's her.

The next day

Kanroji Mitsuri had just returned from her mission and after running in with Giyuu, she briefly squealed seeing the quiet and distant Pillar right on front of her.

"H-hello there, Tomioka-san" Mitsuri awkwardly waved her hand and Giyuu sort off did the same but he just raised his hand slightly.

"You just came back from another mission?"

"Y-yes. How about you, Tomioka-san? I heard Rengoku-san told me that you were acting weird on your last mission together"

"..." Giyuu looked away for a moment

"Tomioka-san?"

"... I saw something like a butterfly"

Mitsuri thought Giyuu would just say goodbye to her and just quietly leave like he always does and seeing him respond was a surprise for Mitsuri.

"A butterfly?"

"I was chasing the demon when it came down from above. She was a short girl that looked like a butterfly when she landed but her strike was fierce"

Giyuu gazed at the sky while Mitsuri tilted her head, curious to why Giyuu is somewhat emotional when describing who and what he saw the other night.

"Do you know who she is?"

"I don't know because she was wearing a mask but she called me-"

Giyuu stopped himself before he could say the girl he saw the other night not only appeared out nowhere but even called him by his family name.

"It's nothing. That girl was probably someone chasing the demon too since she attacked the demon and ignored me"

"Are you sure she's not a demon slayer?"

"She was wearing a kimono but her butterfly hairpin was familiar. I don't know why..."

As Giyuu sighs and prepares to leave for the next mission, Mitsuri called him out.

"Rengoku-san said you two were searching for a demon killing other demons"

"..." Giyuu turned to her

"What kind of demon was he talking about, Tomioka-san?"

"Something about a sword wielding demon. I don't really care..."

Tomioka shrugged his shoulder before leaving the nervous and curious Mitsuri.

"He said he saw someone who was like a fierce butterfly and had a butterfly hairpin. D-don't tell me..."

Only one person can fit the description that Mitsuri could think of and she didn't like it. This made her nervous since it reminded her of the one person who she thought was dead. She couldn't say it to the quiet and stoic Giyuu, just allowed him to leave instead.

"Hmm?" Giyuu then came across the familiar face

He stopped when he saw Tanjiro right around the corner. Tanjiro goes on a mission with Zenitsu or Inosuke so it's not always he sees him by himself other than with his sister in the wooden box.

"Tanjiro?"

"Giyuu-san! It's been a while since we saw each other. Being a Pillar sure makes you busy, huh"

Tanjiro waved his hand and ran towards him, being the usually cheerful and friendly boy he always is.

"What's the matter?" Tanjiro tilted his head

"Nothing. It's something about a mission the other night"

"I met Rengoku-san yesterday and told me you were more quiet than usual" Tanjiro is worried

"I just encountered an odd butterfly girl with a sword the other night. It just bothers me because she knows my name"

"Do you know who she is?"

"I don't know since she's wearing a mask"

"Maybe she's wearing a mask so you wouldn't recognize her?"

"Beats me but I want to find her if possible. Maybe when I'm not busy hunting demons" Giyuu shrugged his shoulder

Tanjiro is certainly worried for his 'friend' who looks gloomier than usual and even distracted.

"How about you?"

"Well, nothing much is happening. Inosuke said he wants a rematch against someone who killed the demon before him. Well whoever that was it saved his life since he broke his leg and his ribs again" Tanjiro awkwardly chuckled

"I see..."

"Then there's Kanao who keeps thinking about the one who killed the demon swordsman we fought a week ago. It's odd she couldn't remember who finished off the demon"

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. She said she blacked out and when she woke up...there was no memory of who arrived to save her" Tanjiro tilted his head

"Weird people are coming one after another. First the butterfly girl now the unknown savior" Giyuu shakes her head

"Well, whoever it is I'm glad he or she finished off the demon. What are you up to now, Tomioka-san? Are you going to find the demon killing other demons with Rengoku-san? He asked me to join him but I couldn't since I'm busy recently" Tanjiro sounded upset

"Maybe but I don't really care much"

"I see..."

While the two continued to talk, Mitsuri peaked from a corner and withdraw after hearing enough of the conversation. First, she encountered whom she believed is Shinobu then Giyuu said something about a butterfly swordswoman.

"What should I do? Should I tell, Tomioka-san?"

Anxious and not knowing what to do, Mitsuri ran away from the scene. She doesn't know what she should do now so she retreated to make a decision.


	11. An Unknown Case

Note: Apologies if it took a month to upload since I've been focusing on too much work (from home) lately. I'm working on Chapter 12 but there's no guarantee it will be uploaded early.

* * *

_A long time ago...I was someone who had a different life..._

Under the moonlight, a figure of a girl about fourteen or fifteen years old panted as her hand holding her sword couldn't stop shaking. There was blood everywhere, on her hands, on her kimono...and on her face. The smell of blood is strong but all of her attention is more focused on the lifeless body in front of her. It belonged to an unknown man who had its chest split open from a clean and swift strike.

"..."

The girl blankly stared, not even fazed at the permanent terrified expression on the man she had just slain. Not even the fact that she had cut deeply that his guts spilled out from fatal slash stirred anything that resembled regret and disgust. All she can see is she had killed a man who is now lying in his own pool of blood.

"Is this what you were afraid of, old man?"

She begun questioning herself, lifting her hand and revealed the blade reflected in the moonlight. She raised her hand, her eyes fixated on the sword stained by the blood of the unknown victim.

"Why is the world like this? Why are they so twisted...more than a demon like me?"

The girl, in despair, begun questioning herself and the reality she is forced to learn through bloodshed. Anything that can be called "innocence" instantly vanished in her heart, her eyes grew dull and unhinged as if shutting down her warm emotions so she would not lose her sanity.

"Why is everything so twisted...?"

Lowering her arm and loosening her shoulders, the girl whose whole figure is painted by the victims she is forced to slay, turned around to reveal she had slain more than one man. Scattered everywhere where corpses who had suffered the same fate as the unknown man.

"What's this aching feeling in my heart? Is this pain...because I didn't really want to kill them...?"

The girl couldn't understand her intense emotions, unable to comprehend the pain she had caused to herself. Her shaking and bloodied hand reached for her chest, wrinkling her blood stained kimono as she couldn't stop the tears flowing out of her eyes.

"Why did I kill them? I didn't even want to kill them...even if they did something bad...to other people..."

The deed is done yet the girl is wrecked by the guilt she also couldn't comprehend. Her thoughts had been thrown into chaos since she unintentionally murdered several people. Right before her are dead humans who suffered terrible deaths at her hands. Their limbs severed, throats slit, and even their heads where decapitated. It was a merciless massacre that she had caused...without knowing why.

_Just why..._

"...?!"

Shinobu gasped for air, immediately raising herself and frantically looking at her surroundings as if she had a nightmare.

"Just a bad dream, huh..."

She had dreamed of someone else she could faintly recognized but it was as if she was present during the terrible dream. Shinobu awakened inside a run-down and abandoned house deep within a mountain where she currently resides.

"It's hot. It must be morning already"

As a demon, she can't withstand the sun and she's particularly sensitive to its heat so she can recognize whether the sun had risen even when taking shade inside the house.

_Ah. You're finally awake..._

"Demon..."

_You were practicing all night_

"Practicing? Ah, that's right. I've been trying to train myself since I have more than enough swinging strength"

Shinobu picked up the sheathed blade she always placed at hand's reach when she's resting or asleep. Even if she's not anyone's target as of the moment, she's cautious since she cannot risk the possibility of a demon or demon slayer taking by her surprise.

_The breath of water you learned by constantly watching that water Pillar friend of yours_

"I suppose watching Tomioka-san practice his moves proved useful but I can't master the breath of water like he can"

Shinobu knew that while she could perform the breath of water from learning its moves from Giyuu, she is incapable of mastering it on a level like him.

_That would take years but you're a demon so you have all the time to master it. That is if your demon hunter friends doesn't cut off your head..._

"I won't let myself go down at anyone's hands but I don't wish to kill my former allies"

_Hmph. Good luck with that..._

While Shinobu resolved to continue living as a demon, she still clung to her humanity as she stated she would never cut down other demon slayers.

_Well, you need the resolve to live since we have a doctor to chop up until he pleads for mercy_

"..."

Shinobu?

_It's because of a wretched demon doctor you and I are physically fused. You lost your body while I became a demon..._

Shinobu looked at her hands with sharp claws capable of tearing through human flesh. While there is no mirror lying around to view her own reflection, she knows she grew fangs and distinctive demon eyes.

_Look on the bright side, you didn't lose your humanity and you could still use breaths since you were a Pillar_

"I would never let go of my humanity because of this hatred"

_What a cruel joke for the two of us. You hate demons so you became one and I hate humans...so I became stuck with one_

Shinobu is visibly furious and seeking revenge for her second life as a demon but even the demon Akane is furious since she had lost her body by being merged with a demon slayer who bear seething anger for all demons.

_Feel free to choose what you want. I won't care unless it concerns both of our lives_

If Akane had a body she'd shrug off her shoulders as she tell Shinobu she has little care for her decisions that isn't life of death for them. It's obvious she'd care since if Shinobu dies, she dies as well. While her life as a demon prior to her current situation isn't the most exciting, she's not suicidal and wants to live like other people.

"I noticed you're changing, demon. You're becoming behaved and less annoying"

_Is that so? I didn't really notice myself since I always worry that you'd get both of us killed_

"I can't believe I'm saying this to a demon like you but I'm getting accustomed to you"

_I could say the same thing to you_

The two admitted that they're starting to understand each other so they started to tolerate each other with the days they communicate and work together as two consciousness sharing the same body. Although the body belongs to Shinobu and some of Akane's parts were just "transplanted" to Shinobu who was minutes from dying.

_So where are we heading tonight? Your forms are still incomplete but still have to take on demons_

"You don't seem to care much about your fellow demons, do you?"

I'm a demon who was taught to rely on my own. I'm not obliged to care about other demons like how humans don't really care for people they don't know

"That's true..."

Shinobu sighs as she reluctantly agreed how Akane cares very little to other demons she doesn't even know is similar to humans not caring about the lives of most people around them.

**Somewhere**

Much like some other days, Tanjiro goes on his solo mission but he had gotten used to it for a while now. He's been used to working together with Zenitsu, Inosuke, and Kanao but he learned to quickly adapt in a solo fight and besides he always has Nezuko who will aid him in the fight if necessary.

"I wonder what happened with Kanao on that mission. She knew she was saved by someone but couldn't remember who it was. If only I didn't get knocked out easily"

Tanjiro lamented how he was rendered unconscious after the back of his head was slammed against a tree and knocked him out. The demon they were fighting was finished by someone who saved Kanao but the latter has no memory who it was which Tanjiro found it strange.

"There's also Giyuu-san who met a masked swordswoman when he was with Rengoku-san and the rumored sword wielding demon. Mysteries are happening lately"

Even among those mysteries, there's one he has yet to solve or make progress after a couple of weeks.

"The demon with Shinobu-san's scent. Ever since then - I wish I could encounter that demon again since it quickly left"

The biggest mystery he wanted to solve was the fact that he fought a demon who had Shinobu's scent. He found this obviously strange and unbelievable since Shinobu was presumedly dead even when her body was never recovered"

"That demon couldn't possibly be Shinobu-san even if it had her scent"

Tanjiro shakes of the thought that Shinobu had indeed turned into a demon but he's beginning to fear of the possibility because of the Love Pillar'd encounter with the unknown demon.

"Kanroji-san said she saw a demon who looked exactly like Shinobu-san and even sounded like her but the demon denied it. At least that's what she said what happened"

Since Tanjiro isn't really present when Mitsuri encountered the unknown demon, he can't say for certain whether the demon is indeed Shinobu or not. If he was there, he would be able to recognize the scent if it was true.

"Wait, the demon Mitsuri-san encountered and the one with Shinobu-san's scent. Mitsuri-san said it used some sort of poison to affect her senses when it blurred her vision. The demon I faced...had a similar Blood demon art..."

Tanjiro then realized that the two demons used some sort of poison that can affect their target's senses which made it look like that the two demons could possibly just the same demon.

"I'm overthinking this. Maybe they just have similar Blood demon art. Wait, can demons even have similar powers?"

Tanjiro isn't sure about it since he hasn't fought demons who had similar Blood demon arts but the possibility is still open as there are more demons with Blood demon arts he hasn't faced. He doesn't want to assume without more evidence so Tanjiro set aside the hypothesis of the two demons just being the same demon.

"Hmm?"

He caught a scent of fresh blood and malevolent scent present with most demons just before he entered and intersection in an empty street. He quickly positioned himself, his hand on his sheath and hilt, preparing to strike as soon as the demon presents itself.

(This scent. It looks like this demon had just eaten somebody!)

The scent of human blood and demon's blood thirst brought anger to Tanjiro who doesn't tolerate anyone who would kill someone especially if it's a demon who had just fed on a human.

"...?!"

Just as he drew his blade by an inch, he widened his eyes in disbelief when the demon he detected is someone wearing a demon slayer uniform and holding a nichirin sword.

"It can't be..."

There's no mistaken that the one in front of him is a demon who had just eaten a human. The demon's blood running down from its mouth down wasn't his but from the human victim. He hesitated to draw his blade since the demon he must decapitate was a demon slayer like him but somehow became a demon.

"Rrrhh...grr..."

The demon struggling to walk properly, immediately noticed Tanjiro and stiffly turned to face the conflicted demon slayer.

"Rrraaaaah...!"

No longer possessing any form of sanity or consciousness, the demon immediately turned aggressive and rushed to Tanjiro like a starving predator spotting a prey.

"...?!"

The demon who used to be a demon a slayer lunged but Tanjiro easily dodged his mindless enemy.

"Aaarrrgh!"

The demon screamed when one of its arms is instantly severed in a blink of an eye. A mindless demon like that can be killed by Tanjiro in one attack but he is visibly reluctant to kill it as he never fought a demon who was once a demon slayer.

"There's no way to save him now. He had lost his mind and only has the instinct to eat humans..."

While the demon wait for its arm to regenerate, Tanjiro realized that the demon can't be reasoned with as it is now rendered with only the basic instinct to feed.

"Even if you were a demon slayer, you had become a demon and had eaten a human so I must decapitate you"

Tanjiro knew he must slay the former demon slayer as not only it had lost its sanity but had already killed a human. If he let this demon escape, it will kill more and that he cannot afford to happen. He has his duty as a demon slayer so he must this before it kills more innocent people.

"Farewell..."

The demon charged bearing its fangs and Tanjiro charged as well with his blade drawn. With certainty, Tanjiro swung his blade until it made contact with the demon's neck and cleanly slice from the start to the end. One swift slash to the neck is all it took to separate the head from the body, ending the demon slayer who had fallen.

"May your soul rest in peace"

As the corpse fades away like every demon who had their heads decapitated, Tanjiro at least prayed for the demon with visible sadness in his eyes. Tanjiro is someone who is full of compassion and empathy so slaying someone who was a demon slayer was something he did with a heavy heart.

"...?!"

Hearing a bell and a cat's meow, Tanjiro spots a calico cat with a piece of scribbled paper on its head.

"You're...Tamayo-san's cat..."

Tanjiro recognized the trained animal not only from its appearance but from its scent which isn't exclusive from detecting humans or demons nearby

"He's called Chachamaru"

Of course he also recognized the irritated voice of a boy even before revealing himself to Tanjiro.

"Yushiro-san!"

"You hesitated for a moment but you quickly finished off that demon"

After Yushiro revealed himself to Tanjiro, he commented on the brief fight earlier with the mindless demon. Like usual, he sounded hostile to Tanjiro even if they're not enemies. Then again, it's Yushiro's usual attitude towards anyone with the exception of Tamayo whom he greatly admires.

"You were watching me?"

"I wasn't watching you but the demon. You just happened to be there"

"Why?"

"Tamayo-sama and I are investigating demons like that. Demons who were once demon slayers"

"What?!"

"Hmph. If you want to know more, follow me. I don't like talking out in the open"

Yushiro quickly turns around and starts walking away while Tanjiro follows him shortly after. He's curious to what he meant when he said Tamayo was investigating demons like the one he killed earlier like there were more of it. Neither of them said anything after walking for more than ten minutes, making several turns until reaching the boundary of the town.

"To think you'd be here of all places" Yushiro scoffed

"I was just on a mission and I didn't know you were here so it's just a coincidence but I'm glad to see again Yushiro-san"

"Hmph! Whatever..."

When they first met, Tanjiro knew how Yushiro has little to no tolerance towards others but he doesn't view the demon as a bad person. Tanjiro is kind and polite to people who hasn't harmed anyone, even towards demons.

"Tamayo-sama, I have returned" As usual, Yushiro speaks in a docile and calm manner towards Tamayo

Mixing an unknown liquid in a tube and studying what seems to be a piece of flesh, Tamayo is briefly surprised at Yushiro bringing along Tanjiro but he greeted the young demon slayer with her gene smile.

"It's been a while, Kamado Tanjiro. How is Nezuko doing?"

"She's doing fine as usual"

Due to Tamayo's genuine gentle and warm demeanor, Tanjiro feels at ease and comfortable towards the fugitive demon doctor. He doesn't mind if Tamayo is a demon since he's the first one he met who has no blood thirst or violent intentions.

"Nezuko, we're at Tamayo-san's house. You can come out now"

Tanjiro gently took off and put down the strapped box carrying Nezuko then gently tapped the top as she whispered to it. The door creaked open, a shrunken Nezuko shyly crawling out and looking at the interior of the house.

"Good evening, Nezuko"

"Mmm-hmm"

Tamayo waved her hand and greeted the still shrunken demon who raised her hand from her oversized kimono to wave back at her. Of course she turned to wave towards Yushiro who just looked away frowning.

"Yushiro, where did you meet Tanjiro? I never expected you'd return with him"

"Tamayo-sama, he encountered one of those demons again and quickly killed it. I was watching the demon's movements but he was there by chance"

"So you were able to eliminate it. Was it hard for you, Tanjiro?" Sympathetic, Tamyayo softly asked

"It was. The demon was one of my allies but it had killed someone so I had no choice but to take it down. I couldn't stop it from killing anyone"

Tanjiro lowered his head, saddened how he couldn't prevent the demon from eating humans. The demon had already lost his sense of self so Tanjiro decapitated it even when he initially hesitated. He knew a demon like that is beyond saving and he had to kill it to prevent it from killing more humans.

"That demon was perhaps like the others. Victims reanimated as demons"

"Victims?" Tanjiro raised his head

"Yushiro and I have been investigating about how dead bodies return as demons"

"You mean a dead person came back as a demon? Is it even possible?"

"It's not impossible for a demon's Blood demon art so I'm tracking down who could have been using dead bodies as demon puppets"

"Why...why would they reanimate bodies as demons?"

Tanjiro clenched his fist in anger while Nezuko holds his hand seeing her older brother about to pop a vein from anger. Tanjiro looked down, seeing Nezuko worried at his anger so he returned to his kind expression and pets her head much to Nezuko's delight. Even if Nezuko's mind had regressed to that of a child, she instinctively wanted to comfort Tanjiro whatever emotion he is unable to restrain, especially anger.

"It's unforgivable. To use bodies like puppets when they should just be laid to rest..."

A dead person should be buried to lay them to rest and return where they came so reanimating dead bodies as mindless demons is defiling the deceased and an act for twisted sadism. Such thing is unforgivable for Tanjiro who slays demon while remaining kind.

"This has been going for a long time and the alarming fact demon slayer bodies are being used is why we're trying to identify the culprit"

"I want to help, Tamayo-san. I will find him and defeat him so no more bodies will be used as puppets"

"Thank you, Tanjiro. If it's you, I know it's possible"

Tanjiro didn't hesitate to offer his help to Tamayo in tracking down the demon to put an end to the reanimated corpses mindlessly killing people all over Japan. He won't forgive the act of cruelty so Tanjiro wanted to hunt him down if he could find him before more demon slayers are reanimated.

"By the way, Tamayo-san...the demon slayers that were reanimated..."

"The demon is probably experimenting whether demons who were once demon slayers is stronger than average demons due to how they train to pass their physical limit"

"Are they all mindless or could some of them keep their sanity?"

"I don't know if it was a reanimated corpse but there was one but it was Yushiro who encountered it..."

Tamayo looked towards Yushiro so Tanjiro looked towards him as well. Yushiro hesitated to speak for a moment but Tamayo's nodding urged him to report it to Tanjiro as well.

"I saw one. A demon with a uniform like yours but she had a haori"

"Really?"

"She was capable of using breaths like the demon she was fighting. Of course she killed it by decapitating its head so she was using a nichirin sword like you. I didn't stick around to find out who she is since I might lose my head too"

"A breath using demon who kills other demons. Could it be..."

Rengoku Kyoujuro mentioned how he's tracking down a rumored demon who can use breaths but hunts down other demons. Tanjiro believed there could be a connection or the demon could be the rumored demon itself.

"Is there something wrong, Tanjiro?"

"The truth is, a Pillar I know died a few months ago but her body was never found. A few weeks ago, I met a demon who had her faint scent then lately another Pillar saw a demon who looked like the Pillar who died"

"I see. So you're speculating whether this deceased Pillar was a reanimated corpse"

Tamayo placed her hand on chin, thinking about the possibility of the deceased Pillar reanimated as a demon but with her sanity intact unlike the others.

"The Pillar who died was the Insect Pillar who chased after a demon even when she was heavily wounded. My friend Kanao didn't find her body but find her sword in a pool of blood"

"You said the body was never found so it's possible she was taken to be reanimated like the others"

"The demon I fought had no intention of killing us just judging from the scent and it had Shinobu-san's scent but I'm not sure whether it was her or someone pretending to be her"

"It's possible your Pillar friend was another victim as well but there's also a possibility of a demon impersonating other people. If my Blood demon art can conceal anything except existence, there could be a demon who can mimic appearance and scent out there" Yushiro shrugged his shoulders

"You're right...but nothing is confirmed yet. I have to meet this demon again..."

While what Yushiro said could be a possibility as well, Tanjiro has yet to jump to conclusions yet until she confronts the unknown demon for a second time.

"If this Pillar friend did indeed turn into a demon, there's a chance she will not recognize you or remember her human life at all. Will you take her down as well?"

Tamayo wanted to prepare Tanjiro for the worst case scenario if he indeed confirm his suspicion so she already informed him how the Pillar he's seeking may not recognize him and possibly attack him on sight.

"I have my duty as a demon slayer. If Shinobu-san is like the demon I fought earlier...then I will have no choice but to defeat her"

Tanjiro closed his eyes for a moment and furrowed his eyebrows upon reopening them, responding how he will have to slay the demon. He will have no choice but to take down if the enemy before him cannot be reasoned with. That is what he chooses to do as a demon slayer seeking a way to undo his sister's demon transformation.

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Tracking down a rumored breath using demon, Giyuu finds himself not up against demons but reanimated corpses. As if by fate, the mysterious swordswoman appeared before him. Meanwhile, Tanjiro discusses what he learned to his group.


	12. Unnamed Sword

With how Shinobu is slaying each demon she meets with no mercy, rumors around her begun to spread on both demon slayers and demons. Nobody who she is and what she is due to retaining her human appearance and can only be identified as a demon when she engages in combat.

"This is...a corpse. This man had been dead for days but he was still able to move. The dirt on his feet is still fresh and so is the human blood on his fingertips"

Shinobu inspected the mysterious corpse lying on the ground with an expression of agony frozen as it had drawn it's dying breath. Shinobu lifted the limp arm and easily identified the reddish liquid on its fingers as fresh human blood. Then she inspected the the feet where dirt had accumulated and thickened from travelling barefoot.

_Yeah. It's one of his experiments probably. This is his Blood demon art_

"His blood demon art?"

_Hirokuma can manipulate the flesh of others, like a sadistic butcher. I never thought he was capable of manipulating already dead people_

"Was it his blood demon art to why we're fused?"

_I'd say yes. He forcibly transplanted and infused some of my parts to you. Since you were still breathing and compatible, you didn't end up like this poor bastard_

"To think there was a possibility I'd end up like this..."

_Luckily we both didn't end up like this or we might have been killed easily. I don't want to be reduced into this walking corpse_

"For the record, this is still my body and not yours"

Shinobu reminded Akane that the body they share originally belongs to her. Even if Akane had been passive lately, she had used Shinobu's body before like her own.

"Isn't there any way you can track this demon called Hirokuma? You said he's the real one responsible for our situation?"

_He doesn't use his real body most of the time. The one we encountered was a random body implanted with a piece of himself so he can move it like his own_

"Not only he can experiment with the flesh of others but use them as well. What an annoying power"

_It's not destructive and not very powerful but yes...it's annoying. Still, dealing with these corpses is the only way we can track him_

"..."

_What's the matter?_

"It's not just ordinary people but normal demon slayers as well. This damn demon is using the bodies of demon slayer to kill other humans"

_On very rare occasions, a Pillar like you. Though it's difficult to incapacitate a Pillar since only Upper Moons can easily take them down like shishou_

"Back then, he appeared when I was on the verge of death. Even if I'm the weakest Pillar, he waited for me to be heavily injured"

_He can take you on but he can't take me on directly. He waited for both of us to be lying on the ground and unable to move. His only mistake was not waiting for you to die. So you ended having your consciousness intact even after being turned into a demon_

"I don't remember much what happened when I was on the verge of death"

As they start to discuss about their target and what happened to them, Shinobu walked away from the scene but her left hand gently clutching the sheathed sword in the case a threat would appear before her.

_I don't remember much either but when I woke up after having my flesh infused and my blood transfused to you, I realized I was in your body. I trashed around and escaped from him_

"Then what happened?"

_It was hazy but I remember running to a mountain and collapsing in an abandoned house. I think we were both unconscious for two days and it took that amount of time for you to fully transform into a demon_

"It's been at least a few weeks since I turned into a demon. It's scary how I'm beginning to adjust to this curse..."

Shinobu stopped on her tracks and gazed up on the moon, the thought of being adjusted in her demon self which she despised scared her.

_What if there's no possibility to regain your humanity? Will you accept being a demon or let yourself die?_

"..."

_Shinobu, are you scared that one day you will lose yourself? There might be a day where your demon nature will consumed your human consciousness. You might not remember your old allies and kill them without knowing_

"Are you in the same situation? You no longer remember your human past. You don't know whether you had a family or killed your friends"

_..._

Shinobu returned the question to the demon voice who became silent as well. The two two went silent for a few minutes, the question they asked to each other remained unanswered.

"You don't have an answer too, huh"

_Same thing goes to you_

"Demon or not, revenge is all that matters to me. Even if I were to die, I will do what it takes to accomplish it"

_You're determined. Even I don't have level of determination_

Shinobu isn't certain whether the demon is impressed or annoyed at how she is focus on revenge more than anything else.

"Right now, we should focus on tracking more of those mangled demons like the corpse we found. There might be more demon slayer corpses he used"

Shinobu remembered the reanimated demon slayer corpse she encountered and killed, Shinobu's anger rose as she gritted her teeth since she had to put down the miserable existence before it killed more people.

SOMEWHERE NEAR A VILLAGE

Past midnight and Giyuu inspected the bloodstains on nearby trees. Fresh and old bloodstains mixed together, and the stench of blood reeked in the air. Giyuu gently touches and traces the claw marks where the bloodstains are found, comparing it to his own fingers. The width of each mark separated from each other isn't far off when Giyuu touched each four marks, indicating the source of the claw marks isn't bigger than a regular human.

"More blood on the ground...and it leads to a nearby village"

Giyuu narrows his eyes, suspicious of the unknown village about about three meters from where he stands. He looks around first, sensing or spotting no demon from all directions.

"The demon swordsman couldn't have done this. There isn't a trace of a sword cut anywhere. These are all claw marks"

Giyuu bends on his knees and inspected another claw marks beneath him. Unlike the claw marks in the trees, the ones on the ground are cut short and shallow. He confirms that the markings are certainly not from a sword and unlikely from who he is looking form.

"Does this demon swordsman even exists? Why am I even looking for it? Rengoku is the one insisting I should try searching for it even if it's just a rumor. The one I'm looking for is that mysterious swordswoman"

Giyuu looked above, recalled the moment he encountered the unnamed and unknown swordswoman. The latter wore a white and red canine-like mask and only spoke to him briefly so Giyuu is intrigued to know who was the girl who appeared out of nowhere and chased the flesh-absorbing demon.

"Why do I feel like I knew her somewhere? The way she spoke to me...is like she knew me too. She even knew my name"

Even if it was just for a moment, Giyuu still thought about the unknown girl he met that night.

"I'm overthinking this. I should just try to find if this demon swordsman really exists. There's no way I can meet that mysterious girl anyway"

Giyuu shakes his head and returns to his original objective. He wants to track the existence of the rumored demon swordsman while he is out hunting demons past midnight.

"The demon attack is too near. Maybe there's a demon in that village"

Giyuu prepares himself in the case he'll encounter a hiding demon within a normal human village. After finishing inspecting his surroundings, he steps forwards and heads towards the village not very far from him.

"Hmm?"

Before he enters the village, Giyuu immediately stops in his tracks and looked down. On the ground a few feet from the entrance of the village, Giyuu notices fresh blood splat on the soil.

"This is human blood. There is indeed a demon here"

Giyuu holds both his sword's sheath and handle, preparing to face off whatever demon is lurking in the strange village.

"This is odd. This village is too quiet as if no one's here. Did the villagers abandon this place?"

As a Pillar, Giyuu heightens his senses and instincts to great lengths. He can tell that there isn't a human around. Even if they are sleeping, he would know if there's anyone in the village but not a single sound, just the night breeze blowing.

"...?!"

He immediately raised his guard when he heard footsteps around the corner. Just as he was about to draw his sword, Giyuu slightly eased himself when he saw a seemingly normal person walked out of a corner.

"Excuse me but you shouldn't be out at this late, there's-"

When he slowly approaches the man, Giyuu immediately back away when is already a few feet from the quiet man. His instincts quickly kicks in so he jumps back and draws nichirin his sword. Giyuu prepares strike the moment the strange man makes the slightest move.

"...?!"

The moment the man turns around, Giyuu sees bloodshot eyes and visible hostility in him. The unknown man reveals himself to be a demon when he faintly growls and bear his fangs. Giyuu pushed himself forward, instantly decapitating the pale and feeble looking demon.

"Wounds and bruises?"

The demon slowly disintegrates but before the entire body disappears, Giyuu notices bruises and open wounds on both the wrist and and chest.

"...?!"

The demon vanishes but Giyuu still raises his sword when several more people appear, surrounding him in all directions.

"What's with their appearances? They don't look very alive for demons? It's like they're already dead but still moving. Are these...corpses?!"

Giyuu widened his eyes when he thinks the possibility of the demons around him to be formerly corpses rather than living humans.

"Guuaaarrghhh!"

About ten immediately charges and leaps at him but even with large numbers, Giyuu effortlessly moves and decapitate the demons before they could even touch him.

"An entire village turned into a demon? Were they all instantly turned or someone slowly turned them?"

The crowd surrounding him is enough population to fill a regular village so he thinks all the demons around him are all residents of the village which explains the blood near the village and at the entrance.

"Ki...ll"

Giyuu decapitates three in a swift slash in front of him. A demon jumps from a roof, aiming to bite down his neck, but Giyuu turns his foot then himself and also decapitate the demon.

"It's unbelievable how an entire village was turned like this. No sign of struggle or whatsover. It's like they really were all turned overnight"

It baffles Giyuu how an entire village turned into a demon and no one seems to have noticed it. No leftover of chaos or struggle was visible when he entered the village, so he thought the villagers were really transformed into a demon in one night.

"What kind of demon could have done this? Is this a Blood demon art I haven't seen?"

Demons are capable of countless possibilities with the various abilities of their Blood demon art which ranges from mild to supernatural. The only explanation be can think of is that a demon used its Blood demon art to help turn a whole village into a demon overnight.

"From the looks of these demons, they're already dead. They were already corpses before they became demons. They've been dead for a few days"

Even when he moves with each second, his eyes examines his opponents even before he cuts them. The crowd of demons pouncing at him left to right have bodies on the stage of decomposition.

"These really are corpses turned into demons-"

Giyuu doesn't faze even when he is relentlessly slaughtering moving corpses as if his opponent is a demon, he isn't going to hesitate the slightest. He isn't giving them a chance to land a single scratch on him. He decapitated three more in single swing but he widens his eyes when a figure jumps from a rooftop and swings a sword in the same manner as he does.

"What-?!"

A feminine figure gracefully lands down, one foot first before the other. The girl with a mask moves her arms and swings her sword almost similar to how he does it.

"That kimono and mask. You-! You're the swordswoman I met two weeks ago"

After decapitating another demon, Giyuu recognizes the masked girl as the same one from his mission two weeks ago.

"Oh? It's the Water Pillar. What a coincidence meeting you here"

Shinobu, currently disguising herself through a change in clothing and donning a mask, casually speaks with Giyuu since he doesn't recognize her real identity.

"What are you doing here? Are you a freelancing demon slayer? You have a nichirin sword since an ordinary one wouldn't kill a demon" Giyuu pointed out

"I am something like that. I hunt demons by myself so I wander from town to town. I'm also aware about your group"

The two converse as the remaining crowd slowly whittles down. The demons doesn't hesitate to charge and pounce even when they can see how the two are easily slaughtering them.

"Back then, you called me by my family name even if I didn't tell you my name. How did you know?" Giyuu is slightly suspicious

"I've come across several demon slayers and they mentioned about the Pillars, you in particular"

Giyuu can handle all the demons surrounding him but with the mysterious swordswoman, the numbers quickly whittles down. The mowed down an entire village worth of demons.

(That Breath style...)

While using his first form to take down two demons on opposite directions, he couldn't help but notice the the form the girl is using. Giyuu continues to take down the numbers until Shinobu stabs the last one and pins it on the nearest wall.

"This is the same one we found earlier. Unlike that one, this one had been dead for a few days" Shinobu murmured to herself

While Shinobu, currently a mysterious swordswoman in Giyuu's perspective, physically inspects the demon, Giyuu couldn't help but notice the purple butterfly hairclip tying her short hair.

"Last time, you appeared out of nowhere and tried to kill an escaping demon and now you appeared of nowhere again and helped me kill these demons. Who are you exactly?"

"I can't really tell you my name but I'll tell you I hunt demons but I'm not part of the demon slayer corps like you"

"I noticed the way you fight. You used Water Breathing"

As the Water Pillar, Giyuu can immediately recognize the Breath style he mastered for years. At once glance, he knows the way the mysterious girl uses Breath of Water just by his fluid and quick movements.

"I did. If you want to ask who taught me, I'll tell you I simply learned it after I witnessed it several times. It's one of the few things I paid close attention"

"You moved better than an average Water Breath user. Whoever you learned it from must be an expert"

"Hahaha. Oh, you have no idea" Shinobu giggled

"If you're skilled with killing demons, why not join the demon slayer corps. You can learn and train with other demon slayers"

"I'm not interested. I prefer killing demons myself. Not like I can go back like this anyway" Shinobu whispered the last statement

For Giyuu, the girl in front of him is an unknown swordswoman who can easily kill demons and can use Water Breathing like him. He doesn't know why she prefers hunting demons by herself so he currently views her with curiosity.

"This is indeed like the last one"

Shinobu pulled out her sword and the second the demon broke free, she decapitated it in a split second and casually sheathed back her sword.

"Here I thought I won't see you again after we met for a moment back at that mountain"

"We're bound to see each other again sooner or later. We both hunt demons but I do it by myself"

"Where did you learn to kill demons? You're not a demon slayer but you can effectively kill demons. You also use Water Breathing. Whom did you learn to use Breaths?"

"I learned to use Breaths after I observed a Breath user train several times. That same Breath user also gave me several key points to remember but I wasn't taught directly"

"Who is this Breath user?"

"That person is skilled Water Breath user. Maybe you already knew each other" Behind the mask, Shinobu smirked

For Giyuu, the masked swordswoman is someone who learned by herself, not knowing she the "expert" who the expert she learned it from. This is why she couldn't help but chuckle a little when she told Giyuu how she learned without revealing who taught her.

"You know-"

The moment Shinobu takes a step forward, she instinctively springs herself back when fist bursted out right beside the house she is standing near. Shinobu manages to severe the arm but the other arm struck her from the side and sent her flying away by a few meters.

"...!"

Giyuu quickly springs into action, and sliced off the other arm while the one Shinobu slice still regenerates. The demon backs away as she Shinobu stands up, completely unharmed but her mask had been hit so it begins to crack but not enough to shatter it in instant.

"I finally found you, brat. You've been killing off my puppets-" The demon growled at her

A demon about ten feet tall glares with deep resentment and murderous intent towards Shinobu, completely ignoring Giyuu who instantly incapacitates him by slicing off his one leg then the other. The demon falls on his back and the pair approach him while his limbs slowly regenerates.

"That voice. You're the demon from the mountain. The one responsible...for this" Shinobu gritted her teeth

"I should have waited for you to die first. You ended up escaping when I took your body"

"Do you know this demon?" Giyuu approached

"I know him. I'm hunting him down but he's doing the same thing now. I also hate him more than anyone" Shinobu clenched her fist

"To think the brat who follows Kokushibo around is being quiet and submissive to someone like you. Here I thought she'd try to be the dominant of the two consciousness"

"Unfortunately, we both agreed to get revenge on you. We can't kill you because of that man but I can slice you over and over again"

"Hmph! How long will you remain that way? You may cling to your own human personality but it will slip away soon"

Giyuu takes a step, ready to permanently silence the demon but the masked swordswoman takes her step first, not planning to cut off the puppet medium just yet.

"You and that brat have your own personality but such thing can't coexist in parallel forever. Your human side will give in soon and you'll lost yourself"

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did to me. You are the reason for this cursed existence"

"That curse gave you strength car superior than you originally had. Then again...you stubbornly cling to humanity"

"..."

"I should have waited off the Insect Pillar when I had the chance..." The demon puppet grunted

Giyuu steps forward and points his sword when he clearly hears the demon mention the "Insect Pillar". With cold and ruthless looking eyes, he looks down on the demon standing on his knees.

"What do you mean by that? Are you the one who killed the Insect Pillar?"

"I'm the reason that weak human is gone"

"It's hard to believe someone as weak as you managed to kill the Insect Pillar"

"That Pillar fought a demon and after both she and the demon were finally heavily injured and worn out, I went to finish off the Insect Pillar. What a surprisingly weak human. I can't believe someone like her-"

The demon chuckles in a mocking a manner, provoking Giyuu into instantly decapitating the demon. The head flies off by a meter or two while the body collapses the front, mildly surprising Shinobu. He didn't even hesitate the slightest, his cold eyes looking down at the disintegrating demon body.

"Even if you kill him, that's not the real body. That's why he didn't hesitate to attack even with a Pillar around"

"Then I'll just have to find his real body. Even if I have to cut down hundreds of fake bodies"

"That demon is my main enemy. Don't meddle with my affairs, Tomioka-san"

The masked swordswoman, jumps forward and lands on top of a rooftop.

"This concerns me as well. That demon killed someone I know" Giyuu frowned

"And you believe him? Demons are less honest than humans. For all we know, you're playing by his games"

"..."

"Revenge doesn't suit you. Also, don't involve yourself with the problems of other people"

"I'm not-"

"That demon is mine to deal and kill, so I suggest not to get in the way. You should only focus on your duties as a Pillar"

After the brief encounter, Shinobu warns Giyuu not to interfere or involve himself with the demon Hirokuma. She wants to push him away from her situation since she doesn't want Giyuu to endanger himself and find out she is alive but as a demon now. She leaves Giyuu confused and dumbfounded, curious at the lone swordswoman.

"Was Kochou really killed by a weak demon like that? No, someone like her can't be overpowered by a pathetic demon"

Giyuu shook his head and refused to believe that Shinobu was taken down by a demon he can effortlessly kill. Even if Shinobu was the weakest Pillar and incapable of decapitating demons, that kind of demon wasn't enough to take her down.

BUTTERFLY ESTATE

After another mission, Tanjiro returns and meets up with his friends in the Butterfly estate. Both Inosuke and Zenitsu are still recovering from a recent with Kanao helping them.

"I told you not to charge in recklessly! We almost got crushed, you know!" Zenitsu screams at the top of his lungs

"Huh?! That's because you're too scared to even fight the demon!" Inosuke screams back

"It's big and it has an horrifying maw! I mean it's like the demon had a snake for a tongue!" Zenitsu trembles remembering his last opponent

While the both Zenitsu and Inosuke continued to scream at each other about how they ended getting injured on their last mission together, Kanao approaches Tanjiro who didn't mediate with the two.

"It looks like there's something you want to tell us"

"Yes. I learned something important on my last mission and I want to tell all of you"

Inosuke and Zenitsu stops pinching and pulling each other's cheeks when they hear Tanjiro's response whose eyes have become serious. They both behave and turn to look at him, curious at what Tanjiro wants to tell the three of them.

"I fought and killed a demon that was a demon slayer. It couldn't be reasoned with so I had to kill it"

"What?!" Zenitsu and Inosuke dropped their jaw in unison

"It's hard to explain it but I think the rumor of missing demon slayers and no bodies being found is because of a demon who is turning them into a demons"

"Is it Muzan?" Kanao frowned

"No, it's not him. The smell that demon had was a dead one. He was already dead even before becoming a demon"

"Dead demons?! How can a dead person walk back to life even as a demon! This is beyond what I can handle!"

"The body is already dead but it was still moving. It can be killed normally since I managed to do so when I decapitated it" Tanjiro rubs his chin

"Do you know who's doing this?" Kanao swallowed her breath

"I don't know but the person who knows about this more than anyone might know"

"Hmph! Walking corpses or not, I'll rip and tear right through them!"

Inosuke proudly laughs, not fearing about the fact that even dead people can turn into demons somehow. He even looks like he's looking forward on encountering one and shredding through them with his serrated nichirin blades.

"I also learned something more important"

"What's that?" Kanao tilted her head

"You know about the rumored demon swordsman, right?"

"Rengoku-san keeps telling us about it. He's excited to track it down and face it" Zenitsu scratched his head

"Apparently it's not just a rumor. There really is a demon hunting other demons out there"

"How?" Kanao raised an eyebrow

"The person who was investigating about the demon corpses happened to witness this demon swordsman one night. He said he saw it fight and decapitate a demon with a nichirin blade"

"What?! It has a nichirin blade! Don't tell me it can use breathes too?!" Zenitsu screamed

"I don't care if this demon is a swordsman! I'll fight it if it's strong!" Inosuke crossed his arms

"What's this about a demon swordsman? Is it about the rumor going around? I was resting when I heard these two screaming"

Genya walks in, visibly curious at what he hears with the four of them talking. The demon eater sits beside Tanjiro who isn't done explaining about what he wants to tell everyone.

"The rumored demon swordsman is real. There's a demon hunting other demons out there. It uses a nichirin blade but I don't know if it can use breaths. The one investigating it was the demon swordsman fight and decapitate a demon" Tanjiro explains to Genya

"I knew it was real. I'm curious about it too since during one of my missions, the demon I was hunting was already taken out but I saw sword cuts everywhere" Genya reveals

"The most important thing I want to tell is that this person saw the demon wearing our uniform so there's a chance it can use Breaths. We haven't fought demons who can use breaths so we're not sure"

"Are you kidding me?! First, walking corpses, now breath using demons!" Zenitsu messes his own hair in a panic

"Are you going to track it down like Rengoku-san"

"Yeah. I want to know something else. I want to confirm if with my own eyes..."

Tanjiro briefly lowers his head and stares at the floor while his hands tenses up, clutching his hakama.

"Tanjiro?" Kanao looks worried

"Kanao, Shinobu-san's body was never found, right?"

"Y-yeah. Only her sword remained and no one found her body" Kanao nods

"There's a chance Shinobu-san's body was taken by a demon and she became one of them"

"...?!" Kanao widened her eyes

"The three of us chased after a demon during a mission. That demon had Shinobu-san's scent. Then there's the demon Kanroji-san encountered. Connecting what I told everyone now and these two things..."

"...There's a chance master is still out there, but as a demon...I don't know if I can fight her"

Kanao clenches her fists as she's already feeling conflict about what to do if she encounters Shinobu again. She doesn't know if she can swing her sword against her former mentor and adoptive older sister.

"I'll help finding more about this demon swordsman and possibility that the Insect Pillar had become a demon. The more the merrier, right?" Genya looks at Zenitsu and Inosuke

"Huh?! I'm not volunteering in fighting walking corpses!" Zenitsu shakes his head

"Too bad because we're all in this!" Inosuke slaps Zenitsu's back

"If Shinobu-san is alive and even if she has became a demon, I can only pray she can still remember us. If she had become like the demons we fight...then we have no choice but to put her down" Tanjiro taps Kanao's shoulder

"I hope too. I don't want to fight master after I couldn't do anything on the night she died..."

The guilt still lingers in her heart about Shinobu's death and it would devastate her if she has no choice but to fight Shinobu if they confirm her being alive again as a demon.

"Hey, everybody! Guess what happened to Tomioka-kun last night~"

Kanroji Mitsuri enters the scene, grabbing and dragging a reluctant Giyuu who couldn't look at her in the eyes.

"All five of you are here? That's perfect! I have great news for everyone!"

Mitsuri sees the five young demon slayers stares at her in confusion after she pays a visit out of nowhere, with Giyuu of all people. If Obanai is present, he would be sharply glaring at Giyuu with intense hatred.

"Kanroji-san? What's up..." Tanjiro awkwardly raised his hand

"Tomioka-kun met his crush during his mission last night

"She's not my crush. I don't have any feelings for her or anything" Giyuu grunted

"What's going on exactly?" Tanjiro tilts his head

"Tomioka-kun met this mysterious swordswoman one night and he met her again last night. Rengoku-kun told me all about it. Tomioka-kun is in love! Can you guys believe it?!"

Giyuu covers his face in embarrassment and turns away from everyone while the five young demon slayers are speechless while Mitsuri doesn't pay attention to their awkward reactions and continues to talk about a girl she presumes Tomioka has feelings for.

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

Ever since the last encounter with Giyuu, Shinobu contemplates whether she should reveal herself to Giyuu or not. While she continues slaying other demons as the rumored sword-using demon, Giyuu continued to think about the identity of the mysterious swordswoman when he Tanjiro told him about what he told the others.


	13. Two Identities, One Existence

Blood was everywhere, but there were no corpses. Even if there were bodies, they would just disintegrate the moment they collapsed on the ground. It was swift and it was ruthless. There were many of them, but their numbers withered faster than leaves fell from the branches.

"..."

A light colored kimono was dyed in red while the once stainless blade was dipped by the blood work every stab and slashed the wielder created. They screamed, but the one swift slash from the sword immediately silenced them.

"..."

Even if it was noisy or silent, the girl who wielded a sword like a part of her continued to move and swing with no hesitation. Her heart raced faster, but her emotions were restrained until it slowly suffocated her

"..." There was an unknown expression with each one she cut down

A pair of icy blue eyes blankly stared at the victims right dead in the eyes. There wasn't any fear, just the necessity to kill those who stood in front of her...but there was pain that stung her heart. She stood there and continued with the slaughter. She bit her lip, and she couldn't let out even a silent scream.

"..."

The only thing that was different was the one she slayed were no older than the girl. Even if it there was an age gap, the other boys and girls are just at least a couple of years older than her.

"None"

The girl looked and left right. There was no one else left but her. Not too long ago, it was all way too noisy and crowded. Everyone glared at each other with pure murderous intent. They were after each other's neck, but in the end only one remained. It was a girl unfazed the amount of blood that painted her from head to toe and the strong stench of blood on her then around her.

"Shishou, there's no one left. Only one remained like you said" The girl panted, horror in her eyes

The girl slowly walked towards the tall man who coldly looked at her with three pairs of eyes, with two of them had the characters of "Upper" and "One" on each side. The strongest Upper Moon, narrowed his eyes and looked towards the stoic and still unfazed girl.

"Hmph. Of all twenty two, twenty one weak ones were pruned out. You, you were the only one not pruned"

Kokushibo was unclear whether he was impressed or dismayed at the result. Twenty one was eliminated, and the only one who refused to be pruned was the girl.

"I was right to not have cut you down like the others, Akane"

"..." Akane looked away, somewhat filled with guilt

"Let me wipe this blood so I may see it...the mark on your face"

Kokushibo bent down and even with the demon's passive intimidation, the girl was only solemn and discontent rather than nervous around the demon swordsman.

"There. The mark that seethed against your fellow humans...is as clear as the blade of a fine sword"

Kokushibo commented on the small yet permanent 'stain' that was on Akane's lower cheek. The mark on her face was still not small, as if a lost and confused in the dark yet it continued to move forward even if the desire changed midway. The girl's pure-hearted passion had its fuel changed by horrified realization and uncertainty.

"Do not let the stray wind strip you away of everything. Instead, spread that hatred further...render everything to ash"

"My gramps told me this sword was meant to protect the others and for the future, but I did the opposite. Even if I abandoned his teachings that I loathed for the breath of the wind, the small mark on my face will remain forever"

Akane clenched her fists, her emotionless expression displayed visible anger and disappointment.

"This blade was supposed to protect...but it only trampled on others. I can't possibly use his teachings, so I'll become the wind that will snuff out these false flames"

"You will not live long enough to extinguish the foolish swords of men because of that mark. Accept the blood of that man, and even the gentle breeze can become a tornado that shredded everything in its path. Sharpen that blade further...and do not ever let that hit be quenched even by a gentle river"

Kokushibo made an offer and even gave an advise as he gazed at Akane right in her eyes. The girl hesitated for a moment, but it was already clear what would be her answer even before Kokushibo asked her.

_Did I made the right decision?_

Shinobu immediately opened her eyes and grabbed the sword that rested beside her immediately. She reflexively prepared a defensive stance, but she looked around. There was no one else but her right now.

"..."

_What's wrong?_

"I had a weird dream again. I saw flames...then wind engulfed it and it was extinguished"

Shinobu made sure there was no one else within the vicinity while responded to the confused Akane. She was outside at night, and she was cautious of an attack by another demon or a demon slayer.

"I tried to relax my mind, but I ended up being confused by the thoughts that flowed in my mind"

_Hmm. Maybe you're practicing way too much? As soon as the sun sets, you immediately begin to sharpen your blade until dawn_

"We don't have time to waste. I need to be capable of defending myself against demon slayers and other demons"

Shinobu has been slowly improving her techniques by battling and killing demons. She is already adjusting to her "newly found" demon strength and abilities but she has yet to master the Breath of Water which she slowly learns from remembering her past keen observations of Giyuu practicing.

_You're a bit out of focus today. I can tell because I know someone when they are distracted. I'm a swordmaster after all_

"It's about Tomioka-san"

_You're boyfrie - old acquaintance? Do you regret showing yourself to him?_

"It's complicated but I feel uneasy when I saw him again. He doesn't know who he was talking to but I know him"

_Do you...want to let him know it's you?_

"I don't know. It's been a month since I became a demon and I'm not certain whether I can retain my humanity"

Shinobu lowers her sword when her hands begin to shake. Fear and anxiety starts to consume her just thinking about her humanity losing to her demonic nature.

_He's someone close to you, isn't he? That's why you don't want him to get himself killed_

"Tomioka-san may look like he's cold and distant about he cares about others and he's a kind person"

For the first time, Shinobu genuinely speaks fondly and sincerely of Giyuu to Akane who notices this.

_You two were really close, huh. I don't know if I had someone I can call a friend but on some nights, I would see someone smiling at me_

"You lost your human memories. You couldn't remember anything prior to becoming a demon"

_This is odd. You sound concerned to a demon like me..._

"...I'm not really sure"

It's been more than a month since Shinobu had become a demon. Her personality remained human, but she slowly changed the more she spoke towards the demon fused with her. The demon she once hated was now an existence she was already comfortable with.

"I'm beginning to feel like I'm changing the more I stay as a demon..." Shinobu bit her thumb

_You're not alone. I feel these thoughts and feelings are changing_

"I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing for both of us"

_If it's a bad thing, then it gives us more reason to turn you back to being human_

"Is there really a chance for me to go back to being human?"

_What are you trying to say, Shinobu? Have you lost hope all of a sudden?_

"..."

Shinobu dropped her shoulders and sat in one corner to ponder about herself and her future. Her goal was to return as a human while she avoided her old allies as much as possible, but Akane feared there were doubts in Shinobu's heart.

_Shinobu...do you still want to go back being human?_

"I...don't know"

There was a minute of silence between them when Shinobu's doubts was indeed confirmed. For the first time in Akane's life, she was shocked by the response of someone who had thought of nothing but to become human again...suddenly doubted her goal.

_...Then do you want to remain as a demon?_

"..."

Shinobu...

"The more days passed, the less I feel like being human. Demon, no...Akane, I think I'm losing touch of my humanity"

Shinobu unsheathed her sword and turned the blade to the side to see the reflection of her demonic eyes from the steel illuminated by the moon above them.

_Shinobu, what you wish to do is up to yourself. I will not dictate whether you should find a way to return to being human or stay as a demon_

"Even if I'm beginning to doubt myself, I won't stop trying. I'm not letting go of my humanity without a fight"

Shinobu stood up and sheathed her blade again and declared she has yet to give up. She still remained human, so her goal didn't change. Akane already made it clear she would support whatever decision she would make, so this caused her to curve a faint smile while her spiritual self smiled.

_Hmph. That's more like it_

For a moment, the demon Akane thought Shinobu's desire to return as a human wavered, but the former Pillar clung to what remained of her humanity.

**Butterfly Estate**

Giyuu blankly stared at the ceiling, his memory refreshed the image of the masked swordswoman who he encountered the other day. To his surprise, the swordswoman was a breath user, water breath user to be specific. It was as if Giyuu was mesmerized by that girl that Tanjiro blinked and tilted his head.

"You both look and smell happy today, Giyuu-san" Tanjiro pointed out

"Two days ago, I met the swordswoman I was talking about. She was a breath user, but not part of the demon slayer corps" Giyuu crossed his arms

"Whoa! Like a renegade breath user. I thought all breath users are part of the corps"

"Another breath user taught her, but she didn't tell who it was. She didn't tell me what her name was"

It surprised Tanjiro how Giyuu seemed upset and dismayed he never learned the identity of this mysterious swordswoman. Tanjiro never met this masked swordswoman so he was curious of her identity much like Giyuu.

"Do you like her, Giyuu-san?" Tanjiro jokingly asked

"I'm curious about her. That's all"

"You're giving off a sweet scent. Do you want to see her again?"

"I feel like I know her from somewhere, but I can't put my finger on it"

Giyuu rubbed his chin, even more intrigued at the identity of this swordswoman due to the familiarity he sensed. More than anything, he wanted to know if the identity beyond the mask was someone she knew.

"Also if possible, she should be a demon slayer with those skills"

"Then do you want her to teach more of Breath of Water if she joined?" Tanjiro smiled

"...She can improve her skills if she had more proper training" Giyuu looked away

"It looks like it was fortunate you were on that mission"

Tanjiro was purely glad for Giyuu that he coincidentally encountered the masked swordswoman after they briefly first met about a couple of weeks ago.

"I just remembered during that mission two days ago. A demon said he was responsible for Kochou's death..." Giyuu's voice turned serious

"There's a scent of anger..." Tanjiro was worried

"A lowly demon like that couldn't have taken out Kochou. She would have handled herself against something like that"

Giyuu's hands tensed and he gently squeezed his arms. Even Tanjiro could sense he was angry behind that stoic expression and emotionless tone. Giyuu refused to be believe that a demon that wasn't even on Lower Moon level had taken out Shinobu.

"Giyuu-san would you believe there's a chance Shinobu-san is still alive?" Tanjiro took a deep breath before he brought it up

"What do you mean, Tanjiro?"

"I didn't tell you this before, but we fought a demon who had Shinobu-san's scent"

"What...?!"

Giyuu clearly heard what Tanjiro had said, but this greatly shocked him that he stood up and his expression was visibly in disbelief.

"Mitsuri-san also said she met a demon who looked exactly like Shinobu-san. The demon denied this and ran away before Mitsuri-san could confirm it" Tanjiro added

"That would be impossible. Kochou died so she couldn't possibly become a demon" Giyuu refused to believe it

He was calm, but he became upset when he heard the possibility that Shinobu was alive as a demon.

"Giyuu-san, her body was never found, right?"

"...?!"

"What if..."

"Tanjiro, I refused to believe Kochou will turn into a demon, let alone allow herself to become one. Until I see it to myself, I can't think of that possibility just yet" Giyuu clarified to Tanjiro

"Giyuu-san..."

"If Kochou did become a demon and lost her humanity, then I have no choice but to take her out..."

"I understand that, Giyuu-san. If she became a completely different person, then we have no choice but to do our jobs as demon slayers"

Tanjiro agreed with a heavy heart. He cared for the people around him, but he would raise his sword even against his loved one if they had lost their humanity and sanity. In Giyuu's case, despite his word that he would take out Shinobu if she turned out like other demons, there was doubt in his heart.

**Later that night**

Shinobu sprung her legs and pushed herself forward in a burst. Her silver blade illuminated by the moonlight, swiftly dispatched three demons in front of her with ease. The demon fused with her was not yet on Upper Moon level, but she could hold her ground against powerful demons and skilled demon slayers. They now tolerated each other enough that Akane allowed Shinobu to use her strength like they were one person.

"I'm getting used to this body the more I fight"

Shinobu noticed physical changes while she effortlessly decapitated a demon who pounced from the left. She moved her left foot backward and swung her sword without the need to look at the demon itself

The truth is, I never had beaten a Pillar at their peak strength. It's only because of my mentor that I was able to put up a fight against them

"I'm guessing if you had another one hundred years, you might be capable of taking out a Pillar. You knew how to use breaths despite being a demon" Shinobu commented

I'm not certain about that. Only the Upper Moons are capable of killing Pillars and even the lowest one is still powerful for me

"Upper Moons, huh..."

Akane mentioned the Upper Moons before and what kind of demons they were, but Shinobu's thoughts views somewhat changed now. The Upper Moons were demons that needed at least three Pillars to defeat, but when she thought about them now...she looked at her blood-stained blade.

"It wouldn't be too bad if I were to become one..."

Shinobu...?!"

"What...? What did I just say...? Why did I say that...?"

Shinobu staggered back, shocked and horrified at her own words. She expressed a desire to become strong enough worthy of an Upper Moon's strength and title. Even the demon Akane was shocked and alarmed by this.

It's like you're thoughts are changing...

"I'm becoming so used to being a demon that my mind is becoming one as well" Shinobu's bit her lip

This is the risk of becoming a demon. Even if you cling to your humanity, it will be snuffed out unless you break that man's curse

"His curse?"

Every demon is connected to the original demon. That's why no one can escape from him. His blood will overwhelm your humanity sooner or later

"That damn..."

Just calm down for a moment, you can't think straight if you're angry

"I need to find the other demons that ran away first. I'll kill every single one of them!"

A frustrated Shinobu clenched her sword tighter and decided to change her location to hunt down more of the demons that escaped to vent out her frustration.

"...!"

Shinobu's instincts to defend herself immediately kicked in and her body reflexively leaped away from the spot she stood a few seconds ago. A demon punched the ground, and she barely dodged it because she allowed herself to be distracted.

"...?!" Shinobu prepared to swing her sword

She stomped the ground and delivered one powerful swing, the pair of demons were immediately taken out. Even if she could use the Breath of Water from her constant observation of Giyuu's practice, she only needed to use them against demons who had Blood Demon Arts.

"Murata, there's another demon right here!" A demon slayer shouted

"We shouldn't face that kind of demon with just the two of us! She has a sword!" Murata shouted

"Don't be a wimp! It's not like this demon is the rumored demons swordsman!"

The unnamed demon slayer drew his sword and didn't even hesitate to charge at the uninterested Shinobu.

"What?!"

He swung his blade, but Shinobu stepped aside with little effort. She had little no problems to defend herself against an ordinary demon slayer. The only ones she would worry about would be the Pillars whom she would hesitate to fight, and she knew she would have difficulty if she were to fight them.

"Do you think even with a nichirin sword, you can cut off my head?"

"You demon-"

Shinobu swung her own nichirin sword and she held back when she targeted the demon slayer who was overconfident that he faced her without a second thought.

"Aaah! My stomach!" The unnamed demon slayer cried out

"Takeuchi!" Murata screamed out

The demon slayer whose name was apparently Takeuchi rolled on the ground and screamed in pain after Shinobu delivered one effortless slash on his abdomen.

"Fortunately for you, that was only a normal cut...but it only caused increased pain due to my poison that lowered your pain tolerance" Shinobu explained

"S-shallow..."

Takeuchi crawled away while Murata stood frozen, unsure whether he should help his fellow demon slayer or not. There was indeed a cut on his abdomen and even blood, but the slash was not fatal. Shinobu made sure her attack would not kill him, but she wanted to discourage him for his recklessness.

"Y-you may look strong, but I'm not just going to stand here!"

Murata shook off his head and drew his own sword while his fellow demon slayer writhed in pain near him. He stepped in front of Takeuchi and decided to bravely face against the demon with a fight rather than let her kill him like a coward.

"..."

Shinobu fell quiet for a moment and dropped her shoulders. She was awfully quiet that it made Murata more nervous since he wasn't sure what the demon's next move would be.

"Eek!"

Just when Murata blinked, Shinobu leaped forward with her blade drawn. She was already in front of a frozen Murata and prepared to swing down her blade when she stopped at the last second, just an inch before the blade made contact with Murata's chest.

"...!"

Shinobu looked up at the night sky and jumped back before a blade could have cut her.

"Sorry to keep everyone waiting! The Flame Pillar, Rengoku Kyoujorou is here!"

Like always, Kyoujorou made his entrance and even announced himself as soon as he arrived at the scene. The two demon slayers behind him sparkled with joy, greatly relieved at the sight of a Pillar in the scene.

"You there! Take your friend curling in pain away while I deal with the demon!"

"Y-yes!"

Murata saluted and complied without a second thought. She grabbed Takeuchi who was still in pain and dragged him away as fast as he could.

"You have a sword, but you're probably not the demon swordsman I'm looking for!"

"..."

"Breath of Flame first form: Unknowing Fire!"

Kyoujorou Rengoku gathered all of his speed as he charged at high speed towards the masked swordswoman in front of her. This one attack could easily decapitate a demon in one or multiple slash.

"She dodged!"

Shinobu leapt into the air before Kyoujorou's blade could even reach her. He was somewhat impressed since it wasn't always a demon could dodge a Pillar's attack.

"Flame...Pillar..."

"Excuse me?" Kyoujorou was confused

"It's been a long time since I saw a Flame Pillar..."

At that moment, Shinobu's behavior drastically changed the moment Kyoujorou Rengoku arrived at attacked her.

"Breath of the wind..."

"...?"

"Eight form: Primary gale slash!"

Shinobu jumped towards Kyoujorou and swung her blade which generated slashes similar to circular torrents of wind. It slashed through the trees behind Kyoujorou right after he dodged and not even the leaves were spared. It was no gentle breeze, but a violent wind that almost passed through him.

"Ugh...! My head. You should really stop doing that, Akane"

_Can you fight him? He's a Pillar, you know_

"You don't need to interfere. I can take on Rengoku-san"

Shinobu shook her head when Akane briefly overtake Shinobu again and fought the Flame Pillar without a hint of doubt

"You can use breaths?! I never met a demon who can use a Breaths before!"

Kyoujorou was both shocked and impressed to have witnessed a demon that could actually use Breaths like demon slayers.

"Interesting! If you weren't a demon, maybe you would have been a fine demon slayer...!"

"You have no idea..." Shinobu scoffed

"Breath of Flame fifth form: Flame tiger!"

"Breath of Water fourth form: Striking tide"

This time, Kyoujorou performed a series of high speed slashes that resembled a tiger while Shinobu countered with multiple consecutive slashes while she twisted her body in a manner similar to a harsh tide. Their blades clashed with one another, and both Breaths of opposite nature countered each of their slashes.

(I'm still not used to flighting against another Pillar..."

Shinobu muttered to herself as she jumped back, her shoulder, arm, and chest received several of the multiple slashes. It didn't matter to her since she regenerated her cuts within a few seconds.

"...!"

It wasn't just her body. She heard a crack from her mask when some parts of it were touched by Kyoujorou's blade.

"It seems I landed a couple of hits on you. Even your mask is cracking!"

(Damn it) Shinobu clicked her tongue

"Breath of Flame"

"...!"

"Ninth form: Rengoku!"

Unlike the first form, his ninth form was much stronger and faster. He initiated the attacked from a distance to perform a deadly dashing slashes. He charged forward in a speed that his direction left an impression on the ground.

"I can't believing I'm using this..." Shinobu sighed

_Shinobu...?_

"Breath of Water eleventh form..."

Eleventh?!

"...Dead calm"

Shinobu relaxed her whole body and focused her body to enter a total state of defence. It was a technique she had yet to fully master unlike the one who invented it, but she saw herself in a situation where she had no choice but to use it. She gambled in the defensive form of her current breath style and used imperceptible speed to at least reduce the impact of the attack on her. The fiery Flame and calm Water went head on...

"That form...!"

Shinobu was knocked away, but her balance remained while Kyoujorou jumped back in shock. It was obvious to why he reacted that away as he instantly recognized the form.

"That's the Water Pillar's new technique! Where did you learn it...?!"

(It's breaking, huh...) Shinobu gently pressed her badly damaged mask

She may have prevented her own decapitation, but she wasn't able to defend her mask from the impact of the attack.

"I'll ask you again. Where did you-"

"You let your guard down again, Akane..."

_Shishou_!

Kyoujorou Rengoku was briefly shocked when a demon managed to appear behind him unnoticed. That demon was none other than Akane's mentor Kokushibo. The powerful demon swordsman raised his blade and could swing it down faster than the Flame Pillar could react.

"Hmm? You tried to defend a Pillar, Akane?"

Akane overtook Shinobu again and used her own speed that was greater than Shinobu to block Kokushibo's flesh blade. She kicked the Flame Pillar to the side and blocked the downwards slash with her own sword.

"Don't...interfere in my own fight, shishou..." Akane pleaded

"Then finish off that Pillar or I will..."

"Not yet. I'm not content like this...!" Akane shook her head

"You're hesitating to fight Pillars because of that human you were fused with?"

"I want to kill a Pillar on my own this time. I couldn't get stronger if you keep popping out on my random fights!" Akane was clearly upset

"Then when are you going to kill that Pillar?"

"When you stop coming out of nowhere and let me fight on my own"

"Hmph..."

Kokushibo drew away his blade and sheathed it back while Akane took a slight breath of relief.

(That demon is incredibly strong. I can tell from the bloodlust and threatening aura!) Kyoujorou prepared to draw his sword

He wasn't reckless enough charge in even when both demons had their swords sheathed. He knew if he were to make one move, he would be cut down as fast as Kokushibo appeared behind him.

"This is annoying..." Half of the mask shattered and fell apart on the ground

"I suggest you get a stronger mask"

"I will since this is the second time it broke"

The right half remained intact, but the left side of the face was now exposed with half of the mask broken. Akane didn't look at Kyoujorou, but the latter directly looked at her. Even if the person in front was different, the appearance of who the body belonged to remained the same.

"You're-" Kyoujorou gasped

"It seems I caused an unnecessary disruption..."

"...!"

Rather than kill Rengoku Kyoujorou, Kokushibo struck Kyoujorou at back of his head and rendered him unconscious.

"Shishou? You didn't kill him?"

"I'm letting this pass due to my...unexpected appearance, but there won't be a next time. Do remember that, Akane"

"Yes..." Akane lowered her head

"That human won't resist the influence of that man's blood forever" Kokushibo walked towards Akane and reminded her

"..."

"Akane, you're not growing attached to that human, are you?" Kokushibo's expression darkened

"...No. I won't allow a mere human to get the best of me. I am a demon who killed countless demon slayers for two centuries. She is no different"

"Hmph. Better make sure of that..."

Kokushibo was both cold and stern towards to Akane, but somehow he was not completely ruthless to her. It was not always he would spare a Pillar, but he had his reasons because of Akane's insistence.

"Akane, do not forget that you're a demon...and an enemy of the demon slayers"

Kokushibo stopped just as he walked past her and left her one last reminder, but Akane wasn't certainly grateful for those words. She remained quiet even when the demon swordsman left the scene.

"An enemy, huh. Well...demons aren't certainly my allies either"

Akane remove what remains of the half broken mask since she needed a replacement again.

"Thankfully, it wasn't the Water Pillar..."

Rengoku Kyoujorou remained unconscious with his body flat on the ground, but Akane barely cared about him. He was just relieved the one Shinobu briefly fought wasn't Giyuu or it might have ended differently.

* * *

**Chapter 14:** Giyuu learns there's a demon who can use the technique that only he can use which prompts him to track down this demon when he suspects he might knew who it is. Meanwhile, Shinobu struggles to retain her humanity as she starts to lean on her demon nature.


End file.
